Filigree
by Hunger4Righteousness
Summary: The 'Frequent Kidnapping Card' and Megamind's personal weapon - Roxanne wants to know what they have in common and why they deviate from his usual style. She ends up learning more about him, and herself, than she ever expected.
1. See Something You Like?

**_Pre-movie. Just exploring some thoughts about that Frequent Kidnapping Card comment, what precluded all the flirting in the fake observatory (and did you notice Minion seemed rather shocked by it?), and Megamind's super cool-looking gun, which really is a different style than his other stuff. If you haven't see close-ups shots of it from the movie, go look them up. Steampunk, some say. Whatever it is, it's pretty awesome._**

**_As always, reviews are appreciated. Reviewers get cookies and sparkles tossed at them. =D_**

* * *

><p>"Sir, our favorite coffee house is offering a 'frequent shopper' card now! We'll have it full in no time!" Minion waved the small card in the air while balancing a grey cardboard tray of hot cappuccino in the other hand.<p>

Megamind snapped off the welder and pushed his dark goggles up on his forehead in order to see what Minion was holding out to him. "A frequent… what happens when it's full?" He took the card and examined both sides. It was just a plain white card with the logo of the coffee house on it and a series of numbered boxes along each side. He noticed the first two boxes out of twenty had been marked off for the purchases Minion had just made.

"You get to choose an item or a beverage for free from the store. Sort of a reward for being a loyal customer and an incentive to keep coming back."

"That sounds like a good marketing strategy. Maybe _we_ should put something like that in place."

Minion looked dubious. "We're not exactly in the business of 'marketing' our services. What are we going to do, offer the city one day free of mayhem after ten evil plans? And who'd get to hold the card? Maybe the mayor…" But Megamind was already warming up to the idea.

"Ms Ritchie might appreciate it! She is one of the most loyal consumers of my e-vil."

"I'm not sure she'd agree with that. She isn't exactly loyal or a consumer. I think 'coerced' and 'victim' describes the situation a little more accurately." He noticed the dark look on Megamind's face and backtracked a little, "But! If you really wanted to make her a pleasant offer for all the, um, help she's provided in being part of your plans, I'm sure that would be well-received." _Maybe_, he thought.

Megamind was already planning how he would execute this new idea and wondering what his favorite 'customer' would think of it.

* * *

><p>That thing was impressive. There was just no denying it. And strangely enough, it didn't have a spike on it. As he walked around and around the chair, doing his usual soliloquy which she knew would be about how great his plan was, how magnificently evil, how he was sure to defeat Metro Man this time, blah, blah, all she was focused on were the teasing glimpses of the gun in his thigh holster, disappearing and reappearing from under the cape.<p>

She'd been kidnapped so many times, and probably would be so many more, she'd stopped bothering to be upset. Except about that potato sack they used to cover her head. That thing reeked like nobody's business. It had been a very long time since she'd actually been scared. He never hurt her. He did seem to wish he could frighten her, but knowing she wasn't actually in danger kind of quelled that reaction. In fact, the kidnappings were becoming rather boring. So she had started taking note of everything; the lair itself, the weapons, his equipment and inventions, stuff hanging from the ceiling. Most of his possessions were styled with a common theme: black and spiked, but there were a few exceptions. Minion's gorilla suit was a pretty amazing creation and surprisingly spike-free. When he'd noticed her examining him closely, the poor fish seemed kind of embarrassed. She decided staring at his body, robotic though it might be, _was_ a little tactless.

One day she noticed Megamind's gun. It was so completely different from everything else, she was instantly intrigued. Today she was getting a better look than usual as he passed around the chair over and over again. If she hadn't been so intent on the weapon, she would have asked him to stop it, since it was kind of making her dizzy. Then the thigh holster paused right next to her. The black butt of the gun was covered in a gold, stylized lightning bolt design, and she caught the hint of some decorative work that was actually quite beautiful. In fact from what she'd been able to see so far, rather than being a simply functional object, it was a work of art. It had flowing lines and was delicately tooled. At first she had assumed it probably didn't have spikes sticking out of it so he could draw it faster, but why had he bothered to spend so much time on those details? She squinted at it slightly, and then realized everything was very quiet. He had stopped walking… and stopped talking. Slowly her eyes followed up his side until she met his gaze, a rather amused and definitely smug expression on his face. He'd noticed the general direction she'd been staring. "See something you like, Ms Ritchie?"

The blood rushed to her face so fast her ears burned and her neck felt tight. Quickly she looked straight ahead. Behind the chair, she dug her nails into her palms as hard as she could, trying to redirect her brain to think of something other than her embarrassment so the redness in her cheeks would subside faster. Oh lord, had he thought she was looking _there_? And worst of all was the fact that… she had kind of wondered about that. He probably wouldn't believe her even if she told him she'd been looking at his weapon. Or worse, he might think she meant that as a euphemism.

He leaned down with his hands on his knees so he was in her direct line of sight, his face close to hers. "You haven't answered my question."

"I have nothing to say."

"Pleading the fifth? Well, we all know what _that_ means!" Chuckling, he glanced back at Minion and straightened up, crossing his arms. A wickedly knowing smile crossed his face.

"If you must know, I was so bored with your monologue that I was amusing myself by noticing your gun."

"My-," he uncrossed his arms and looked down at the holster at his side. "Oh yes! Isn't it beautiful? One of a kind." He patted the weapon, obviously waiting for her to compliment it, and added proudly, "I designed it myself."

"Really? I was going to guess you picked it up at Wal-Mart in the toy section." Annoyed at his assumption about where she'd been looking, she definitely wasn't going to give him kudos on it now.

He scowled. "You would do well to modify your insults today, Ms Ritchie, if you want that card."

She blinked. "What card? What are you talking about?"

He threw up his hands. "Haven't you been listening _at all_? What, am I just talking to myself here?" He noticed she was still perplexed, so he began explaining again with exaggerated patience. No use wasting energy on evil drama if she wasn't even bothering to pay attention. "I said I have devised a way to reward you for all the help you provide in assisting me to carry out my e-vil plans. Behold! The Frequent Kidnapping Card!" He produced it out of thin air like a magician. He'd been about to do that before when he noticed her distractedly staring at his leg. Or something. He wondered if her claim to be looking at the gun was just an excuse after remembering how deeply red she'd blushed.

"A… Frequent Kidnapping Card? You're serious?" She arched an eyebrow. This was an interesting development. "That's actually kind of… thoughtful, Megamind. You might want to be careful; your soft side is showing." Seeing him quickly glance behind him, she stifled a laugh and asked, "What do I get when it's full?"

"Uhhh, we'll let you know." He looked back at Minion, who shrugged. They hadn't been able to come to an agreement on what the reward ought to be. Minion said she should be given a 'Get Out of Today's Plan' free pass, but Megamind wanted to give her doughnuts.

"So, it's a surprise? Or is it that you just haven't thought of anything yet?"

His face fell from a grin of delight to lowered brows of disdain. "Of course I've thought of something! But now you'll have to wait to find out what it is," he sniffed and turned away from her slightly. She could be so rude. And she was way too good at guessing. He held out the card to her without looking, waiting for her to take it.

"Um, hellooo? My hands are a bit tied at the moment." She peered at the card before he pulled it away again. It also appeared to be decorated. Now she was intrigued. Did he always add artistic touches to his work? No, that couldn't be right. Most of his things were just studded with those juvenile spikes and razor-edged fins.

"Oh, that's right." He looked her over a moment, thinking, then went behind the chair and after a moment's hesitation, tucked the card into the back pocket of her jeans. Her back stiffened as she felt the card slip into place. "Keep it handy! You never know when you'll get the chance to have it stamped." Metro Man crashing through the roof interrupted his chuckling. "You're too early," Megamind griped at him. They hadn't even gotten to the plan yet.

* * *

><p>Returned to her apartment by her supposed boyfriend, the first thing she did was pull the card from her pocket and examine it closely. It was black, of course, and she turned it slightly this way and that, admiring the shimmering blue holographic image of Megamind's personal logo on the front. There were no spikes on it, holographic or otherwise. Along the bottom edge was a series of ten boxes, one of which had a small glittering blue lightning bolt inside it. Running her thumb over the bolt, she realized it was slightly raised as though it had been embossed. She assumed that was the stamp indicating today's visit. Turning the card over, she saw her own name written in flowing silver script surrounded by delicate filigree embellishments. There was that artistry again.<p>

Why would he add such elegant touches to some of his things but only use those contrived manifestations of 'badness' on others? She mentally sorted his things by style. The lair itself wasn't much to look at, and she suspected some of the garish paraphernalia in there, blinky lights and displays of buttons and odd tube-shaped things, were only for show. The invisible car had spikes, as did the hoverbike, his outfit, and the brainbots had jagged fins as well. Minion's robotic body belonged with the unique items, as did that amazing pistol, and now the Frequent Kidnapper Card. Where did that inconsistency in style originate? With a puzzled frown, she tossed the card onto her countertop and went to wash the dust out of her hair from Metro Man's entrance. After that she planned to do some research on handguns.


	2. Interview With a Fish

_Four weeks later on a sunny Thursday morning…_

This time she was tied up and hanging over the edge of the alligator pit as his overgrown reptilian pets leaped around her. They almost seemed more like poodles dancing on their hind legs than vicious animals hungry for blood. She watched the show at her feet and then sighed, wondering where Megamind was. Lately most of his plans had required them to be outdoors, which was nice as the weather warmed up, but she hadn't been able to catch another decent glimpse of the gun after having done her homework. Minion asked politely, "Ms Ritchie? Do you happen to have your Frequent Kidnapping Card on you, so I can get it stamped before we forget?"

"Yeah, back pocket, as usual."

With a quick swipe of his nimble metal fingers, he took it from her, barely making her sway on the rope. She was so used to this now, she didn't even tense up when they pulled the card from her pocket anymore.

"Minion, can I ask you a question?"

He started slightly as he embossed the stamp, nearly smudging it. Any time he answered her questions, she was always able to get more information out of him than he meant to impart. Coupled with the fact that she tended to write rather unflattering stories on his boss's work, he felt a little nervous about talking to her without Megamind present. And right now he was off struggling to work out a last minute glitch that had appeared in their latest weapon of destruction. "Um, maybe."

"What's with the card? I mean, most frequent shopper cards I've seen are pretty plain. Why make it so… elegant?"

Oh, he would love to hear that. Elegant? Minion felt certain it would be all right to discuss this subject since he was sure it would show Megamind in a better light. "Well, Ms Ritchie, being a genius Sir does have a well-developed sense of aesthetics. He has a great appreciation of beauty as well as functionality. Sometimes he doesn't have time to make all of his inventions particularly detailed, but he does like to add his own personal touches to his favorite things." He held the card back out to her with a smile, then remembered her hands were tied and moved behind her to put it back in her pocket again. "Once he told me about the idea of the card, I knew he'd make it into something special for you." He sobered suddenly, hoping she wouldn't pick up on the subtle implication of what he's just said.

She frowned. Was that because he was excited about the idea of the _card_, or because he was giving it to _me_, she wondered. Instead of exploring that with the friendly fish, she casually mentioned, "I was noticing his pistol the other day. It's different. No spikes. It looks like it has some filigree work on it though. Did he do that himself or…"

"Yes! He did!" He happily jumped on this line of questioning, having apparently avoided the pitfall of the last comment he made. " He's really quite a talented artist, Ms Ritchie. You know," Minion began, looking slightly wistful, "that gun was one of his very first inventions. He's had it since he was a child."

"Really? He designed himself a gun as a child? That kind of indicates the direction he was headed right from the start, doesn't it."

"Oh, now think about it," Minion protested. "How many little boys like to play with toy guns?"

"But his wasn't a toy."

"It doesn't necessarily mean he had violent tendencies from the start. In fact the pistol only had one setting to begin with, the dehydration function."

"I bet he's designed a lot of special features into it since then."

"You're right about that! But… I'm not at liberty to tell you about them." That was an obvious trap, easily sidestepped.

"It must be a very dangerous weapon. What would happen if someone else got hold of it?"

"They'd never be able to use it." Minion grinned smugly and nodded. "He's designed it with a hidden safety."

She had him talking now. "So how many settings does it actually have? You don't have to tell me what they are."

Minion thought and decided it was harmless information. "It has some very interesting functions other than 'de-hydrate'. In fact there are eight de-functions. And it hasn't always looked the same as it does now. It's been through a lot of iterations over the years, and he's added more details and decorative work too. It's almost as though the more attached he is to something, the more likely he is to develop it artistically as well as functionally."

Roxanne pondered that silently, thinking about the gun and then the highly decorated card with her name on it. The card with the scripted name and the lovely embellishments on the back. "The card he made me is pretty artistically developed. And he only just thought that up," she said half to herself. It must have to do with more than just how long he's owned something.

Megamind came into the room in a disheveled state, dripping wet and part of his suit torn at the shoulder. He angrily pulled the lever to close the doors over the alligator pit and crossed his arms, glaring. They'd stopped their leaping long ago anyway. Roxanne wondered what had taken him so long to appear on the scene. "Let her go, Minion. The plan for today is off!"

"What? What happened?"

They held a whispered consultation during which Megamind appeared very agitated and waved his arms a lot. Straining to hear, Roxanne thought she head him say something about "that worthless shark". Then she heard Minion mention, "I already stamped her card." Megamind turned to her.

"Well, lucky you, Ms Ritchie. I guess today you get a free-bee. Although I suppose this counts as a kidnapping in the strictest sense anyway. I hope you enjoyed the alligators." He stalked out of the room again, and Minion approached her shaking the can of knock-out spray.

"What happened?" she whispered.

He glanced back and muttered, "Technical difficulties." Then she was out. It wasn't until later that she noticed the card was now full.

* * *

><p><em>Friday afternoon...<em>

Roxanne really had only scratched the surface learning about handguns, but she was becoming more and more fascinated by Megamind's favorite weapon. As she continued her research, she began to wonder more about its creator. Little boys did like to play with guns, and this little boy had the ability to create a weapon that actually worked. He'd grown up in prison, but only the guards would have been armed there. Had he looked up to them at one time? Maybe he'd just been bent on beginning a criminal career early. Or maybe he had watched old Westerns growing up. That would fit in with the thigh holster. The decorative work was similar to what she'd seen on some antique guns. She wished she could get a decent look at the rest of it, but he kept it holstered most of the time.

Her growing obsession with the object made her determined to figure out its secrets. What other settings might it have besides dehydrate? De… frost? No, it was getting close to dinner, that's why she'd thought of that. Could be useful in the winter though. De-fuse? De-ject? De-bug? De-activate? De-terminate? De-celerate? There was no way she could simply guess. There were too many possibilities.

Minion had mentioned a secret safety lock, and she had found there were several types of those. Megamind wore no ring, so she didn't think it was a magnetically controlled mechanism. Possibly he'd designed the gun to activate when it recognized his own unique fingerprint on the trigger. That would be especially effective, but hadn't she seen Minion use it? Frowning, she tried to remember.

What really nagged at her was how much its design deviated from his usual spikes and black leather. She'd always thought of them as the embodiment of his juvenile and exaggerated personality. It always put her in mind of certain heavy metal rock stars and their over-the-top costumes and performances. But knowing the gun predated everything else and thinking about how he kept it near him all the time, she had to wonder. Did it represent the real him? The dramatics and costuming – was that just for show? And if so, what was he really like? It would make a great expose: Megamind, The Man Behind the Evil. She was beginning to suspect he put on this display for the public that was mostly an act. The things he really cared about, that meant the most to him personally and had been with him longest - Minion's robotic body and his own sidearm that apparently he'd had since childhood – they looked completely different, with none of the garish ornamentation he used for his public schemes. So what about this card he'd given her? Around her name on the back appeared that same delicate design he'd worked onto the pistol. What did the two things, the gun and the card, have in common? What had Minion said? The more attached he was to something personally, the more likely he was to give it those artistic touches. He couldn't be that attached to the card itself, so that meant…

She sat back soberly in her chair. Well, that would explain why he kidnapped her over and over. No, she reminded herself, that's because of his assumption, like everyone else's, that she was Metro Man's girlfriend. But wouldn't Metro Man come to rescue _any_ citizen? Of course he would. Anyone could be used as the bait, so why did he keep kidnapping her? Other people would probably easily grant him the screaming he seemed to always want to hear. She frowned, her thoughts running up against possibilities that she really didn't want to consider. The bad guy falling for his captive. Well, it wasn't as though that story had never been told before. Ok, she told herself with a little shake, I really can't make these assumptions. He's never hurt me, but it's not like he's been trying to win me over. Or has he? She frowned again. No, don't go there. Back to the pistol.

The secret lock… There was another possibility she'd learned about which he might have used, but it was way too obvious. Being a genius, he'd probably thought of something so unique, so unexpected, she'd never be able to figure it out. She sighed and got up from her desk, deciding to take a break. Her efforts to unlock the secrets of Megamind's favorite weapon were probably futile anyway. If only she could get her hands on it for a while. Flopping onto the couch in frustration, her eyes strayed to the card on the coffee table. Picking it up, she thoughtfully rubbed her thumb over the ten tiny blue lightning bolts. Could it be?


	3. A Minor Admission

_Saturday Morning…_

"Megamind, haven't you ever heard of sleeping in?"

He rolled toward her on his chair until their knees almost touched and leaned toward her. "E-vil never sleeps, Ms Ritchie," he stated superiorly, looking her over in her pink satin pajamas. Sweet. Not at all revealing, but with the messy hair, she definitely looked cute. Luckily she'd been wearing the top and bottom to bed, since Minion had whisked her right from mere wakefulness to the lair. "And we needed you here early."

She looked at him skeptically. "You never sleep?"

"Well, of course I _sleep_, but villainy keeps no schedule! There is no weekend off from destruction's devilish delights and wanton wickedness! Saturday sleep-ins will not be respected by reprobates of really – uh, irregular…" _Opps, lost the trail of that one. Gosh, I am kind of tired. Probably shouldn't have stayed up all night._

She looked over at the huge mechanical shark suspended nearby and hoped today's plan didn't involve getting in the lake. It was way too early in the morning to even consider a cold swim. "You know, my card is full."

"Say what?" He was still trying to think of more 'r' alliterative words.

"My Frequent Kidnapping Card. It's full. I'd like to cash it in today."

"Oh." They still hadn't agreed on what to award her. He shot Minion a meaningful wide-eyed look and saw the fish roll his eyes. He knew they should have decided on something, anything.

"And you still don't have any idea of what to give me, do you?"

He turned back to her and scowled. It was always so annoying when she second-guessed him, and even worse when she was right, which was pretty often. "Well, smarty pants. Why don't you just guess what the reward is?" He crossed his arms and waited for her to hit on a good idea, which he could then grant her and pretend he'd thought of it first.

Roxanne knew already what she wanted to ask for. "I'll tell you what. I'll trade whatever you had in mind, assuming you did have something, in return for a good five minute examination of your gun."

Incredulously he asked, "You want to look at my gun? The dehydration gun?"

With a casual shrug, she replied, "Yeah."

"Any particular reason why?"

She didn't really want him to know just how much of an interest she had in it or about the expose she was planning for her next story on him. "Oh, you know. I just happened to notice it looks different. It doesn't match the style of your other stuff." She shrugged again a little. "Just curious."

"You know what they say about curiosity," he warned her.

"I'm not feline," she demurred. "Plus Minion told me it has a safety on it, so what could happen? It's not like I'll be able to use it against you, right?"

Megamind glared at Minion who giggled weakly and looked embarrassed. That blabbermouth guppy always gave too much away. Then he turned back to Roxanne and stared at her a moment. Something was up with this, but with the safety on, it probably wouldn't hurt anything to let her see it. Plus it would take care of the problem of figuring out what her reward should be. "All right, Ms Ritchie. If you'd really like to handle my weapon for a few minutes, I'll grant your wish." Suddenly realizing the double meaning of what he'd just said, his ears turned a brighter shade of pink and he noticed she colored slightly as well. He cleared his throat. "Minion, untie Ms Ritchie's hands. Not the feet though. We wouldn't want you escaping," he explained unnecessarily, pulling the gun from the holster.

Roxanne rubbed her wrists before carefully taking the pistol he held out to her, handle first. What a beautifully crafted weapon! It was surprisingly light, and now she could see the barrel and the business end of the thing. It seemed to be made of some type of clear material like glass. She quickly noted the eight settings on the barrel. De-hydrate, De-regulate? What the? De-Moralize, De-Stroy, of course. De-Bilitate, De-Compress, yuck. De-athRay? What could that be for?

"Decoupage?"

"That's for Minion!" he quickly explained. _That's embarrassing. I forgot about that. It does sometimes come in handy though. _She was examining the piece very carefully, and even looked as though she could handle it fairly competently, which he hadn't expected. He wondered what she really thought of it, and oddly he felt quite nervous watching her inspect it.

Roxanne raised the gun to look down the sight. She was quietly searching for the hidden safety, but the lovely details on the gun were distracting. "Where did you learn to do this amazing filigree?" she asked honestly.

_Amazing? Wow, she... she actually complimented it_. "It's a hobby."

She glanced at him. Megamind had hobbies? That was a new thought. And it would work right into her new story. "You've spent a lot of time on this. It must mean a lot to you."

Where was she going with this? Why the sudden interest in his gun? It was making him uncomfortable. The de-gun was one of the few things he never intended to be an overt part of his evil plans. Of course he used it in public, but he hadn't given it the usual spikes and fins and whatnot, because… well, because it was his personal weapon. And all that other stuff was just for intimidating the masses. He remained silent, thinking.

Roxanne looked up at him. He hadn't replied to her observation, and now she realized he looked rather perturbed. As a reporter, she recognized the signs that she was venturing into deeper water, private matters. People always got that look. Before she could ask another question, he grudgingly admitted, "It's something I've had for a long time, even before beginning my career. Of course it means a lot to me. Answering your nosy questions isn't part of the reward though, and your five minutes is nearly up."

_Snippy, snippy! I must have hit a nerve._ Perversely she couldn't resist pressing him a little more. She commented casually as she turned the gun in her hands, "No spikes, no gaudy razor fins, or any of that. Why not? Why did you deviate from your personal style so much when you made this?"

"How would you know what my _personal_ style is?"

She jumped on the opening. "So you admit most of this," she made a sweeping motion around the room, including in it the giant mechanical shark studded with the same ridiculous fins as the brainbots, "isn't your personal style. Does that mean this is?" She tapped the pistol.

He frowned at her sulkily. "Wouldn't you like to know…"

"Yes, I would!" Roxanne heard herself blurt out.

Megamind froze. He watched her through narrowed eyes, still unsure of what this unexpected conversation meant. "My personal business is _none of yours_."

"I think it is." She pulled out her card from her pajama shirt pocket where Minion had tucked it when he came to get her and held it up. "Because this looks very similar." She flipped it over so her scripted name was facing him.

He looked at it blankly. He actually hadn't realized that he'd used the same filigree style on the card as on the gun until now. And he'd had no idea she would draw a connection between the two. He colored slightly. "So?"

"So... why? Why bother creating this card in your personal style when you were just going to give it to me? Where are the spikes?"

"I thought spikes might ruin your wardrobe," he protested mildly with a dismissive wave of his hand.

"I don't accept that answer." _What am I doing? I'm supposed to be figuring out the story behind this gun_. "You made this special, the way you made your most prized possession special. And I want to know why."

"Why does it matter?"

"Because it means something!"

"You're reading too much into it."

"I don't think so."

"Then what do you think is the reason?" He leaned toward her. "If you're so smart. Use those reporter skills and tell me what it all means, Ms Ritchie!"

"You think of me as one of your possessions."

It was like a slap on the face. He was shocked. "I most certainly do not! "

"I'm just another one of the things you use to pull off an evil plan!"

"That's insulting! I've never treated you like a 'thing'."

"Then what's the reason?" she demanded more forcefully than she meant to.

"Because you're special!" he nearly shouted, his face inches from hers. Roxanne's eyes widened. Then he sat back with a defiant look, daring her to question him further. He folded his arms again, a gesture of self-defense as much as defiance. "You're special to me." _Whoa, back off._ "My… best customer doesn't deserve spikes and gaudy decorations."

"Customer? Ha! It's not like I stop in to browse. You force me to come here."

He sighed and relented a little. Waving at the card she was still holding up, he added in a meeker tone, "I thought you might appreciate the filigree. That you might like it."

She looked from him, staring at her as though he was waiting for a put down, to the gun in her hand. "I do appreciate it not having spikes. I'd have ruined a lot of pairs of jeans if it did." She heard him chuckle and glanced up at him again. "And I think your creative work is… beautifully done. So... yeah, I like it."

_Kindness?_ He drummed his fingers on his arm and frowned. How should he respond to that? Part of him yearned to reach out for more and yet experience had taught him whenever he got close to others, he would inevitably get burned. "I think your five minutes is up and then some." He held out his hand for the gun.

_Rats._ She wasn't ready to give it up. It was still locked. Trying to get him to admit his feelings for her and find out about the design differences had eaten up her time. She had one idea to try, but it couldn't possibly be the answer to the secret lock. It was too obvious, too predictable. She gripped the handle of the gun, squeezing her fingers over the lightning bolt on the side of the grip. She felt a click and looked up in surprise. Megamind's eyes widened as he heard it too. She'd found it.

"Hand it over." _I'll just pretend that didn't happen_.

"That's it? That's the secret lock?"

He scowled. "I was five when I added that! And I've never had a problem with anyone being able to figure it out!" _Until now_.

"Looks like I might get a little bonus with my reward today," she murmured, pointing the gun at him.

"Roxanne," he warned, "you don't know what you're doing with that. Give it to me."

"I think I can figure it out." As she looked down and turned the barrel to select de-hydrate, he lunged for it and knocked her off her chair and onto the floor. The chair skidded away. Her bound feet made it impossible to kick him, otherwise she would have when she found herself on her back with him practically on top of her as they struggled for the gun. Inadvertently she pulled the trigger and the stray shot hit Minion, reducing him to a blue cube. Megamind grappled with her, grabbing the pistol in one hand and her opposite wrist with the other. _She's a lot stronger than I thought she was! There's got to be a way to get her to let go. _Almost without thinking, he leaned in and kissed her, quick and hard.

Taken by surprise, Roxanne relaxed her grip on the gun. Megamind pulled it from her and jumped up triumphantly. "Ha! Got it!" Then he looked down and sobered at the sight of her outraged face.

"You… you _rat_! How dare you do something like that to get the upper hand! I thought you had more respect for me than that."

He winced. "I'm sorry... That wasn't very sporting, but I had to get it from you somehow."

"With a kiss? Like a _Judas_? I didn't think you were _that_ evil!"

Now he really looked upset. He held out his hand to help her up, but she wouldn't take it. "Roxanne… I'm sorry." She sat up and put her arms around her knees and stared darkly ahead, refusing to look at him.

"That was low. Even for you."

He holstered the gun, picked up the chair and brought it back to her, motioning for her to sit in it. She ignored him.

In all the years of kidnapping her, he couldn't deny that the thought of kissing her had crossed his mind. She was special to him, and he knew it. But she was right. He never would have forced a kiss or even stolen one from her. And yet he just did. _How could I have done that?_ He felt miserable looking down at her sitting on the floor. It was tempting to hand her the gun and let her dehydrate him after all. "I don't know what to say. I… didn't mean it... It just happened." He squatted in front of her and waited for her to look up. When she finally did, he told her sincerely, "That will never happen again."

Roxanne really wasn't sure what upset her so much about the whole incident. That she had blown her chance, that he tricked her with a kiss, or that now he had said he didn't mean it. _Why should I care if he didn't mean it?_ Somehow that comment stung though. She frowned and looked at him. _What's wrong with me?_

He was holding out his hand again, waiting for her patiently with such an apologetic look on his face, that she finally took it and let him help her stand up. Then they stood staring at each other uneasily, both unsure what to say next. "Is there anything I can do to make that up to you?"

She smiled coldly. "Sure. Give me back that gun."

"Uh… besides that?"

She folded her arms. "Admit you have feelings for me."

_Gah! I think I'd rather give her back the gun!_ He swallowed. "All right. I have feelings for you. Respect, for one. You're very strong. And admiration of your intelligence. I'll assume you've been studying in order to have figured out my weapon as you did." He moved to the chair and scooted it behind her so she could sit in it again. He was about to go on, but just as she sat down, she interrupted him quietly.

"That's not the kind of feelings I meant. And you know it." She couldn't see him. He was still standing behind her. "Minion even said it. He said when you decided to give me that card, he knew you'd make it into something special for me. And it ended up like your pistol."

There was silence behind her for so long, she wondered if he'd sneaked away so he wouldn't have to face the music. Suddenly she heard the soft rustle of his cape and felt two warm hands on her shoulders, as his voice quietly murmured right beside her ear. "You're more special to me than any weapon ever could be." Her heart skipped a beat. "If you want me to admit it, I do. And if you want my assurance that I won't take advantage of you again, I'm giving it. I will never do that again with so much as the tiniest kiss."

_But… what if I want you to_, she thought as the spray knocked her out.


	4. Setting Traps

She woke up on her couch, her thoughts already in the middle of what had happened as though her brain had been speculating even while she was unconscious. So it was true. Everything from the deviations in his designs to the secret lock on the gun to the feelings he'd admitted. Suddenly she realized she was touching her fingertips lightly to her lip as she lay there thinking, and pulling her hand down she sat up. Of course he was interested in her! That just fit in with her track record of attracting every oddball around. Metro Man the super-jock, creepy Hal her cameraman, and now Megamind, a blue alien. Of course! She closed her eyes and groaned, but what she saw on the backs of her eyelids was a handsome face with amazingly green eyes. _Ok, at least he's intelligent. And he's not bad looking._ Her eyes flew open again_. I must be crazy._ Noticing she was still in her pajamas, she got up and went to shower and change, patting her shirt pocket for the card. She stopped in her tracks and looked down into the pocket as though she might have missed it somehow. Checking the couch and the floor around it, her heart sank. It was gone.

* * *

><p>Megamind poured a cup of water over Minion and watched him rehydrate.<p>

"What happened! Does she have the gun? Did she get away?"

"No, no, I got it back."

"Where is she?" He glanced around quickly, looking for their captive.

Megamind looked chagrined as he explained how they had struggled for the pistol before he finally overpowered her and knocked her out with the spray. He wasn't about to tell Minion about the kiss or the confession he'd made. In addition he had decided to return her home himself before bringing Minion back around.

"You took her back yourself?" That was very unlike Megamind. He nearly always left the catch and release to Minion.

"Well, yes, this one time. She was behaving so erratically and I had such a difficult time subduing her, once she was finally unconscious I whisked her away as quickly as possible." He shrugged and tried to appear nonchalant, but Minion was a bit skeptical of his explanation. "Didn't want her to come to while I was rehydrating you and start making more trouble. I have no idea what got into her! She completely ruined today's plan!" The truth was that he was too rattled himself to go on as though nothing had happened. The whole thing was just better put off for another day since the mega-shark was unreliable at the best of times. Managing that supersized hunk of whale bait required his full attention, and at the moment he was distinctly distracted.

_I still can't believe I did that. I shouldn't have kissed her. No! I'm glad I did… because that will _never_ happen again. _The thought of sneaking another kiss had crossed his mind briefly, looking down on her as he placed her gently back on her couch. She would never know. But he would. And villain though he might be, he didn't want to face her again later knowing that he'd broken his promise less than an hour after he'd made it. He'd left quickly after that.

Minion knew something out of the ordinary must have happened while he was dehydrated. His boss never deviated from their agenda unless the necessary equipment had a major flaw like last time. The mega-shark had continued to try to attack Sir every time they turned it on until yesterday when it appeared they'd finally worked out most of the programming glitches. And now he had ditched the plan again? He glanced curiously at Megamind, silently brooding in his chair, and walked over to the control panel, suggesting, "Well, at least now we have another day or two to test Sharky and make sure the bugs are worked out before we sic him on Metro Man." He pressed a button and it unexpectedly jerked to life, flailing about on its moorings and opening and closing its giant metal jaws with loud clangs.

Megamind swiveled in his chair and looked up at it sourly. It still wasn't working right. He put his chin on his hand and was about to tell Minion to shut it down, when the chains suspending it from the ceiling broke. The oversized fish crashed to the floor right beside his chair.

"AHH! Minion! Turn it off!" He drew his legs up and clutched the back of the chair as it thrashed around, clumsily maneuvering his way, the jaws clanging together menacingly. Why did the crazy thing always try to eat him? Frantically Minion hit the stop button, and the shark stilled, its glowing eyes fading to darkness. "That's it! Forget the giant shark! Worthless, capricious piece of … I'll use it for a piñata!" He slumped in his chair and kicked at the metal monstrosity mere inches from his feet. Then he asked dejectedly, "How is the programming coming along for the Death Ray?"

Minion brightened. "I finished it yesterday! It's ready for testing."

_Finally some good news_. "Yes!" He jumped out of the chair. "Oh, excellent work, Minion. This is perfect timing! You know what's coming up, of course."

Minion smiled at his boss, pleased to see him perk up again. He always rebounded quickly. "The opening of the new Metro Man Museum! Of course, Sir. That's why I worked so hard to have it ready as soon as possible."

"Minion, I can always count on you." Megamind patted the hairy shoulder affectionately. "Now," he added with a delighted chuckle, "where shall we try it out?"

* * *

><p><em>Monday morning...<em>

Roxanne sat at her desk at work, her fingers hovering over the keyboard. She was supposed to be writing her opening bit for the Metro Man Museum celebration on Saturday, but her brain wasn't cooperating. "His heart is an ocean inside a bigger ocean..." Ok, this is crap, she thought. _Then again, who knows if I'm even going to have a chance to do the broadcast. There's no way Megamind will be able to resist making some kind of disruption_. She snorted to herself quietly. _I'll be lucky if I actually get to film anything at all_. She considered going to bed fully dressed just in case he pulled another early morning kidnapping. _No, I'm not going to let him dictate how I do things!_

The thought of seeing him again after their last encounter made her a little nervous. _Is it going to be awkward, or will he pretend like nothing happened?_ She thought of the kiss and her heart flipped. _Stop that. Hopefully he's going to keep that promise. I really don't have any reason to think he won't. If he's so evil, why hasn't he ever tried to take advantage of me before? What kind of villain has a sense of honor? It's a little incongruous._ The gun with its filigree work and flowing lines intruded on her thoughts. She mentally reviewed it, admiring its elegance and intricate details all over again. _They say you can understand an artist by his work. I'd like to see more of that side of him. Why does he keep it hidden away? Why cover it up with all this ridiculous pretense of being bad and doing evil? Evil? He never hurts anybody. Ok, there's destruction of property, and he can be seriously annoying, but… _She frowned, trying to remember a time when one of his plans had resulted in a death but came up with nothing.

There were numerous books that speculated about Megamind's past, his personality, his goals, but none of them were particularly reliable as sources of factual information. The authors she'd contacted had as much as admitted they made up half their 'facts' and the rest was hearsay. It wasn't like he was going to come after them with a lawsuit for libel, and no one really cared about the truth of him anyway. The public loved wild speculation, the weirder and more sensational the better. And she'd read some very weird ideas about him.

Having researched the few newspaper articles written at the time when he was first discovered in the prison yard, she knew there was a dearth of true information out there concerning his early years. By the time she'd emerged as a budding reporter, he'd already escaped prison and begun his career of menacing the citizenry and trying to destroy Metro Man. Ambitiously, she'd set her eye on him even then, the constant battles between the city's well-beloved hero and the disagreeable super-villain a reporter's dream, an endless goldmine of news and entertainment. Making sure she was present at every skirmish, and with some carefully chosen outfits and mild flirting, she'd caught Metro Man's eye and became the reporter he would always turn to to make some pretentious statement about good and evil. Then the rumors started about the two of them, and she'd caught Megamind's eye too - as effective bait. Becoming part of the action hadn't been her goal, but once she got used to it, she had to admit it was great for furthering her career and ensuring her job security.

Maybe that's really all it is, more of Megamind competing with his rival. Was he only interested in her because he assumed she was his enemy's sweetheart and therefore he wanted her too? There was no way to know that for sure without getting to know him better personally, and that didn't seem likely to happen. He never granted interviews, and so far her best detective work had still not uncovered the location of his secret lair. _My only chances are during the kidnappings, so… I'll just have to make the best of that time. If flirting worked with Metro Man, maybe it'll work on Megamind too. And we'll see just how honorable he is._ If she'd been honest with herself, she would have had to admit she was looking forward to their next meeting.

* * *

><p><em>Monday afternoon...<em>

He woke up in his cell feeling stiff and bruised with the warden looking down at him. A grim smile broke over the man's features as soon as he realized his prisoner was awake. "Well, looks like you lived through another one of your 'genius' ideas," he told him. "They found you half-dead."

Hardly, thought Megamind as he coughed painfully. He recognized the familiar feeling of extensive bodily damage and though it was bad enough, he was far from being dead or even half-dead. Apparently he'd been a little too close to the target they'd chosen for testing the Death Ray. He had wanted to judge the effects close up and first hand and decided to wait near the abandoned factory outside town while Minion controlled everything from the lair. It had been a spectacular explosion, but he'd been hit by flying debris and knocked unconscious.

"You'll have plenty of time to recover. They assessed the damage at a couple million dollars, so you'll be here awhile."

"Just add it to my tab."

"Don't worry! Already done." The warden smirked. "So you're up to… what, several _thousand_ years worth of time to serve?" With a satisfied grin he watched Megamind grimace as he slowly sat up. "I'll leave you to contemplate your stay." Mercifully he walked out, allowing the returning resident a chance to recover in peace.

Warden Doyle had actually been a little worried when they first brought back his famous blue prisoner. It was rare to see the tough little alien hurt. Having known Megamind from the beginning and watched him grow up, he had a genuine fondness for the wily character. In private he even laughed about his antics and crazy plans, although he never would have admitted such a thing to anyone. Ironically, the prison still provided Megamind with a safe haven at times, somewhere he could recover from injuries under observation of the prison doctor or rest between schemes.

Walking into his office, the warden sat heavily in the seat at his desk, not looking forward to more paperwork. He recalled the strange events of their meeting all those years ago. Perversely, the blue child found in the prison yard had presence of mind enough to want to stay right where he'd landed and ingenuity enough even at that tender age to engineer events in order to get his way. They simply couldn't get rid of him despite repeated attempts to place him with various foster families, and finally he was sent to school straight from prison. That had altered the course of everything, changing him from a sensitive, phenomenally intelligent child to a little devil bent on wreaking havoc. Warden Doyle shook his head as he recalled seeing the changes come over his smallest ward. He'd tried to correct him, but that seemed to make things worse. Many times he wished he'd never sent him to that school for gifted kids.

"Minion," Megamind spoke quietly after tapping the button-sized communication device hidden behind his ear. Knowing his watch would always be confiscated with his clothing when he was returned to prison, which was often, he kept a secondary means of contacting Minion on himself at all times.

"Sir! Oh, thank goodness! I couldn't find you. Are you all right? I think your tracking device must have been damaged in the explosion. Even the brainbots couldn't locate you in the rubble and then the fire department showed up and…"

"Never mind all that. I'm fine." He stood up from the cot he'd been lying on and crossed to his chair carefully, noting how the room tilted and spun slightly. Almost certainly something had hit his head. "A couple notes about the Death Ray. It needs to be more powerful."

"_More_ powerful?"

"Yes, ramp it up. A lot. Also, we _will_ be using it for the museum opening so don't dilly-dally in your work. You have five days."

"What about you?"

He closed one eye and then the other, checking his vision. "I'm going to stay here to… recover for a few days." The only doctor he'd ever been examined by was here. "Prepare the remote control watch. I want you to send it to me so it arrives Saturday morning. You know the one I mean."

"Got it."

He paused. Had she covered the explosion today? Seen him found unconscious and hauled off to jail again? Did she care? "And Minion, we're going to need Ms Ritchie."

"I'll take care of it."

* * *

><p><em>Saturday morning, a perfect day for "Metro Man Day"...<em>

Roxanne looked through her closet, trying to decide on how to present herself today. _Come on, am I dressing for Megamind or the camera?_ She picked out an outfit she'd reported in before and replaced it again, finding it too pedestrian. _It'll probably be both._ She actually had been surprised to wake up in her bed, undisturbed. Even though Megamind was currently known to be in prison, there was no doubt in her mind that before the end of the day, they'd be face to face again. And she had every intention of using her skills to their greatest advantage.

_Ok, this is a celebration, so I can wear something special without it looking like I'm trying to dress just for him. I am supposed to be Metro Man's girlfriend, after all._ The event planners had asked her to appear on stage for part of the ceremony, but she declined the offer, claiming the network had dibs on her and she had an obligation to report on the day.

Pulling out an off-the-shoulder red dress trimmed with black, she tipped her head to one side, considering it. _That's a flirty little number. Might work_. She held it up to herself, looking in the mirror and then unzipped it and slipped it on. _Yeah, this will do. It should work well on camera in case I do manage to have time for some filming, and it's just sexy enough it might help me tease a little more personal information out of him. _She smoothed the fabric over her hips and suddenly thought of the quick kiss he'd surprised her with, remembering the feeling of his lips pressed to hers. In the mirror, her still face stared back at her blankly and her chest rose and fell as she breathed. _No, Roxanne. Don't go there. You're fascinated by the mystery, not the man. He's not going to kiss you again. Or would he? What's a villain's promise worth anyway?_ Scowling at her reflection and her thoughts, she ducked into the closet for some shoes. _This is business - information gathering for my story. If I'm successful, it'll be the first fully factual account ever done on him. He ought to be grateful for that._ Slipping on her shoes, she felt a twinge of misgiving about exposing such an amazingly intricate mind to the base masses who mostly craved sensational rubbish. She thought of the pistol and wondered how many people would appreciate such details and the intelligence of the artist behind it. Then she remembered her Frequent Kidnapper Card and wondered where it was now.


	5. Temptress!

**_Not necessarily trying to follow canon precisely, so don't get hung up on inconsistencies with the movie please! _**

* * *

><p>"Happy Metro Man Day, Metro City! It's a beautiful day here downtown where we're here to honor a beautiful man – Metro Man. His heart is an ocean inside a bigger ocean." <em>I can't believe I'm actually using this! My boss is going to kill me.<em> "For years he's been watching us with his super vision, saving us with his super strength, and caring for us with his super... heart. Now it's our turn to give something back. This is Roxanne Ritchie, reporting live from the dedication of the Metro Man Museum." She motioned across her throat, hoping she wasn't also signaling the end of her career due to that lame intro.

"Wow, ok, the stuff they make you say on air? That is un-freaking-believable!" Hal turned off the camera.

Roxanne knew he was right, but hearing the annoying cameraman voice her own thoughts, she decided to put him in his place. "I wrote that piece myself, Hal." Watching as he tried to cover his blunder, she smoothed her dress again. _So I got some filming in after all. Where the heck is Megamind? That's the last time I go into a story so poorly prepared. Always write a good opener, Roxanne, even if you don't expect to make it on camera_, she scolded herself. Now Hal was trying to get her to ditch the celebration and go for coffee. She laughed uncomfortably. He never gave up. Creepy, yes. Stalker, maybe. She ran into him outside work just a little too often to be coincidence, but she still just couldn't bring herself to tell him off completely. They did have to work together after all, and she had a feeling he might be the angry type if she was too direct in rejecting him.

Why hadn't she been kidnapped yet? Certainly Megamind would show up to disrupt this citywide celebration for his arch nemesis. Hal was turned away from her fumbling with the camera and muttering something. Roxanne shook her head. _What a meathead._ A familiar rattling sound near her ear caused her to turn and catch sight of Minion's toothy grin framed in the familiar gleaming rectangle of the invisible car's window. Just as he broke her fall, she had two distinct thoughts. _Minion is a cutie,_ and _it's about time!_

* * *

><p>Megamind's attitude has improved considerably throughout the week. It was just what he'd needed; a break from brooding over the embarrassing failures of the mega-shark and the emotionally charged scene with Roxanne. Having Minion's assurance that the Death Ray was ready to go, he was looking forward to Metro Man Day with giddy glee and danced his way out to the street and freedom. As a telltale shimmer indicted the arrival of his ride, he chuckled quietly to himself, thinking of the surprise they had in store for his beefy competitor. He jumped in the car, noting Roxanne's unconscious form in the back. <em>Don't think of her. Don't look at her. Stay focused.<em> "Thanks for sending me the watch, Minion!" he jested, punching his hench-fish in the arm. As they roared away and saw the guards running out too late to stop him, Megamind couldn't resist commanding him, "Punch it!" He couldn't wait to get started!

"Ah, there's no place like Evil Lair!" Feeling very refreshed after his five-day stay in jail, he mused that really the place was more like a hotel to him than a prison. Try as they might with their feeble security measures, he was still able to come and go as he pleased, and he suspected the warden was as well aware of the fact as he was. The doctor had diagnosed him with a concussion and extensive bruising following the explosion, but he'd recovered easily and felt better than ever today. Minion had completed the work, today Metro Man would taste defeat, and Roxanne was ready to be the bait and finally witness his hour of triumph! He bit his lip in excited anticipation.

Megamind's bubbly mood spilled over so much that he laughed easily at everything. Too easily, Minion noted with concern. He hoped his boss was fully recovered from the effects of the explosion. Ms Ritchie began to struggle on his shoulder, and Megamind eagerly leaped into his chair in readiness. As he carefully placed the hostage in her seat, Minion suddenly remembered that he still hadn't washed that potato sack on her head. Opps! Poor lady. Oh well, next laundry day he'd have to try to remember again.

Megamind took his seat and glanced back at Roxanne in delight. _What is that she's wearing? Wow, that's just… wow. She had to have known we'd be picking her up. Could she have dressed like that on purpose? Oh wait, of course – Metro Man Day, and she is his significant other. She's probably supposed to be on stage with him about now. Sorry, darling, not today! Ok, ok. Play it cool._ He turned away from her and tried to calm himself, motioning the nearest brainbot into his lap. Giving his hands something to do might help hide the jitters he felt at facing her again for the first time since his little confession.

As Minion whipped off the sack, he slowly and dramatically swiveled the chair to face his captive, hoping to convey the image of a self-confident evil mastermind_._ "Ms Ritchie. We meet again."

"Would it kill you to wash the bag?"

_Minion…! Ok, I'm ignoring that. _"Scream all you wish, Ms Ritchie! There's no one around to hear you." _Because that would just make my day complete if you'd scream… just this once!_

_Scream? I never scream. Why is he even asking me? _

"Uh, why isn't she screaming?"

"Ms Ritchie… if you don't mind…"

As Megamind demonstrated a scream, she noted the little brainbot on his lap suddenly became very agitated. _That thing looks ready to…_

"AHhhhhh!"

_Yep, that's what I thought. Megamind, you're such a goofball sometimes! How do you manage to pull off half the things you do? _She shook her head at him. _Where is the real you under all this bluffing?_ Even watching him comically try to detach the glowing cyborg biting his hand didn't dampen her certainty that somewhere inside him was a very serious-minded, sophisticated person that she wanted to know better. Looking around while he composed himself, she realized they were in the old observatory. He'd placed all sorts of displays and equipment around as though setting a stage. "Is there some warehouse where you get blinky lights and diodes and Tesla coils?"

A delighted smile lit Minion's little face, and he nodded knowingly at his boss. Ms Ritchie was so quick! She'd recognized their attempt to stage the area. "Actually! Most of it comes from an outlet store in –"

"Don't say it!"

He looked at Megamind and just couldn't stop himself from whispering, "Romania."

_Good old Minion!_ Roxanne smirked. _I can always count on you!_

"STOP!" Megamind rolled his chair between them as though to block the effectiveness of his lovely captive's charm on his gullible sidekick. "She's using her nosy reporter skills on your weak-willed mind." He turned to Roxanne and felt the full force of that charm himself as she looked back at him with a half smile. _She really looks beautiful today, but she is definitely up to her old tricks again._ He couldn't blame Minion. He knew first hand how difficult it was to resist her. Scooting forward in his seat, he rolled the chair around her, getting a good look from all sides and putting himself in her personal space as much as possible. _We'll see who can be intimidating_. "Such… tricks!…won't work… on me…"

_Is he trying to be threatening? That's actually kind of sexy. _Roxanne felt a quick shiver of excitement listening to his low, seductive voice as he moved behind her chair. She caught his eye. "Please talk slower…"

_What's this! _"Temptress!"_ Is she testing me to see if I'll break my promise? Or does she actually want me to kiss her again? Oh, what I wouldn't give to know that's true!_

_Temptress? Oh, I could so own you!_ Roxanne tried to slow her excited breathing and blurted out the first thing that came to mind. "Wha – you're so predictable!"

The spell was broken for Megamind with that one despised word. Never was he predicable. "Predictable? You call this predictable?"

Crap, Roxanne thought as the floor slid away and the alligators made an appearance. She hadn't meant to turn him off completely, just to regain control of the escalating situation and her own reactions. _No, Megamind, don't go back to this juvenile showcasing_. "Your alligators, yes… I was thinking about them on the way over."

He turned away from her_. That's right. She's seen them just recently_. He frowned and tried the next lever, then the next, but no matter what he brought out, she disparaged it as though it was nothing. _Is there no way to impress this woman?_ He slumped over the console dejectedly.

Roxanne almost hated to disappoint him. He tried so hard, but she wanted him to realize that she wasn't going to be awed by so-called instruments of terror. He's just thrown everything he has at me, she thought as she saw him collapse in defeat, except the one thing I want, the real him. _What the? A spider!_ She smirked watching the incongruous little arachnid slide down its silk before her eyes. _This thing's more threatening than Megamind, but he'd probably try to convince me it's part of his evil plan too_. "Ok, the spider's new."

Megamind straightened suddenly and looked back at her. What spider? Minion shrugged at him. Oddly, there really was a little spider just in front of her. Well, fine, he could use that. He advanced on her menacingly, ad libbing about this completely harmless spider as though it was the most important weapon in his arsenal. _Yes, I can work with this. Spiders are scary._

Roxanne watched him try to impress her again. He just doesn't get it, she thought, and blew the spider into his face. It was hard to not laugh at his reaction. Megamind, afraid of spiders? Now that was funny!

"Let's just call your boyfriend in tights, shall we?" The unpredictable brainbot clamped down on his raised hand causing him to cry out in pain again. "Minion, get the pry bar!" he growled through clenched teeth. Minion scooted away to find the tool in the workshop below.

"What would you say if I told you he's not my boyfriend?"

He shot her a look of pure disbelief. "And why would you claim that?"

"Because it's true."

"More tricks, my dear Ms Ritchie?" He tried to fold his arms but her shocking assertion caused him to forget about the bulbous brainbot still clamped tightly over his wrist. He put his hands on his hips instead. "What's your game today?"

"I don't play games. That's your schtick."

"My stick? Shick? Whatever you said. Ok, first of all, all reporters play games. That's how you prying journalists get information out of people. Minion would be a prime example of one of your conquests, and I think it's disgraceful how you trick him into telling you things without his even realizing it." He looked down his nose at her. "Very underhanded, Ms Ritchie. He may be my henchman, but he's quite naïve."

Roxanne actually felt a little abashed at that. "Ok, sorry about that. I don't mean to take advantage of his good nature. It's just that he's so easy talk to." She smiled pleasantly. "I really like Minion. He must be good company."

Megamind actually smiled. "You know, he is. Just the other day…" Suddenly he stopped and shook a finger at her. _Darn it, she is good at that._ "Second! If you're suggesting I'm just playing games here, you're wrong."

She looked at him and sighed. "Megamind, why can't you just be yourself? At least around me?"

Wide-eyed, he glanced left and right. "I am myself. Who else do you think I'm trying to be?"

"Honestly, I don't know. But I don't believe all this," she looked around, "is really you."

Watching him walk away from her to check a display, she heard him say, "It's all the 'me' you'll ever know. And anyway, you wouldn't like the real me... No one ever has."

That was a heartfelt admission if she'd ever heard one. She asked, "Why not give me a chance? You don't have to keep hiding behind the leather and spikes and pretending to be evil."

Megamind started slightly, shocked that she would think he was only pretending. Where did she get these ideas? He pulled himself together and turned to face her. "I do not hide. And I'm really not sure what you're implying. What you see is what you get. I AM evil!"

"I don't buy it."

He scowled. "And why not?" Whipping his arm to the side, he managed to dislodge the brainbot and send it flying. He was getting very frustrated at her attempts to pry into his personal motivations.

"I think I've glimpsed the real you." She watched him slowly stalk closer to her. He seemed perplexed and curious and somewhat angry.

"You think you know the real me because of… what?" He stopped just in front of her chair and stood glaring down at her. "My gun? Some decorative work on a card? I never should have given you that card. You used to be such a good little kidnappee." Why couldn't she just cower before him and stop being so difficult instead of sitting there looking gorgeous and ruining his composure.

"It's not just the card that tipped me off." Looking up at him coyly, she reminded him, "Here I am… your helpless victim yet again. Again! You could do whatever you want with me… if you're really wicked. You've had a lot of chances, and Minion's even out of the room this time." She shrugged her shoulders, drawing his attention right where she wanted it. "And yet… you don't." One fine eyebrow arched in an unstated challenge.

_All right. Why is she baiting me?_ He began to walk around her chair, thinking. _How evil am I? She's right. If I were truly despicable, I could do all kinds of things to her. I want to do all kinds of things to her. _She was tempting him to toy with ideas he never let himself entertain for long.

Roxanne could feel her heart begin pounding again waiting for him to answer and wondering if he was thinking of the same salacious possibilities she was. _What have I gotten myself into this time?_ He circled around again, allowing her another peek at the gun in its holster. _Yes, I'm sure there's another side of him._ _But what if he takes me up on this? No, he won't._ Just as she was recognizing that most of her thoughts were far more exciting than frightening anyway, he stopped near her shoulder and quickly bent to her ear. In a slow, hushed voice he solicited her opinion. "What do you _want_ me to do, Roxanne?"

She paused and turned her head to look at him directly, their noses almost touching. Her heart was beating so loudly she wondered if he could hear it, not knowing his pulse was racing in his ears too. She studied his face, blue and angular, and found it far more attractive than threatening._ I don't know what he's thinking, but I know what I want._ She tipped her head back slightly and was just raising her chin, when they heard, "Sorry it took me so long! The brainbots must have been playing with it because it wasn't where…"

Megamind snapped upright. "That's all right, Minion! I managed to get it off after all." He raised his hand toward his sidekick and flexed his fingers, then turned away from Roxanne as though nothing had happened. Walking to the control panel again, he let out a puff of breath as though he'd just made a narrow escape. _You almost had me, Roxanne, you little minx! _"Ah, the brainbots are in place! Cue the smoke. Start the video feed on my mark. Time to crash the party!"

Roxanne took a deep breath and blinked a few times, trying to clear her head. She wasn't sure if she'd been about to get him to open up or go right over to the dark side completely. Either way, she wished Minion had just stayed away a few more minutes. Watching Megamind address the crowd, she sighed. _Here we are back at square one. Showtime_.


	6. Farewell, My Nemesis

**_Thank you for the lovely reviews! It pleases me so much to hear that readers are having a good time following the story! Reminder: this is sorta, kinda following movie canon, but don't get hung up on details. I've left some things out and of course added my own material here and there too. So, enjoy! And if you like this chapter, let me hear from you! Helpful comments, ideas, or pointing out of mistakes are always welcomed too. ;) _**

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><p>Watching Metro Man and Megamind exchange their increasingly silly banter, Roxanne couldn't shake the impression she had of two kids on a playground defending their territories, one at the swings and the other at the slide, engaged in a comical battle of wits and enjoying themselves immensely. She shook her head. <em>Honestly, they sound more like rival siblings than mortal enemies<em>. Hadn't they always seemed a little too gleeful during their matches? Megamind easily parried and returned each jibe, while Metro Man appeared to be a little off today. _His heart's just not in it_, she realized, and decided she'd play too. "Augh, girls, girls! You're both pretty! Can I go home now?"

Megamind glanced back at her in surprise. She almost never joined in this part. "Of course! That is… if Metro Man can withstand the full, concentrated POWER of the SUN! …FIRE!"

Watching him, she tried to hide a smile. _He never gives up!_ _Ok, I have to admit, this guy has moxie. He must know he isn't going win. He never does! What drives his determination?_

Silence.

The crowd at the museum waited. The mayor surreptitiously checked his watch. Over in the observatory, Metro Man looked decidedly unconcerned.

Beginning to feel rather moronic holding his dramatic pose ineffectually, Megamind rolled his eyes and stomped over to his henchman. _Don't tell me it's busted. It worked fine the other day! _"Minion… fire?"

"Still warming up, sir." Increasing the Death Ray's power had also increased the interval for its power-up time considerably.

"Warming up?" His green eyes popped in consternation. "The _sun_ is 'warming up'?"

As the two argued over who was to blame for the delay, Roxanne observed them. They made quite a pair. Obviously, Minion was the pragmatic one. She'd seen him meekly accept responsibility for badly executed plans before, but today he seemed to be feeling a little cranky about his boss's gripes. Once again the plan seemed to be a wash out for Megamind. It had still been an interesting day from her point of view. She had managed to learn a bit more about her fascinating quarry from his reactions to her baiting. Sensing the whole thing was going to unravel completely, she advised, "Why don't you just admit your plan is failing?"

"Good luck with _that_…" Minion groused. Ouch, Roxanne winced. She'd never heard him openly be disparaging before, not knowing he'd become very skeptical of the Death Ray since the accident at the abandoned factory in which Megamind had been hurt. He did not trust the dangerous weapon and wanted to ditch the whole idea of using it, let alone trying to make it even more powerful as the boss had demanded.

"Whose side are you on anyway?" The stunned alien couldn't believe his sidekick was questioning him, and in front of their captive too!

"The losing side," Roxanne suggested helpfully.

"Thank you!" Minion agreed.

Ok, she relented, maybe we're being a little harsh, ganging up on him together like this. Thinking of their tantalizing exchange earlier, she decided to remind him he hadn't been completely at a loss today. She had certainly enjoyed testing his resolve, and she suspected he'd enjoyed it too. "Um, could someone stamp my frequent kidnapping card?"

"Oh ho ho!" He turned and stalked toward her. _Yes, my little temptress, I haven't forgotten our fun and games. Or your attempt last time to commandeer my own weapon and use it against me! But I'm not going to let you get the advantage like that again._ He leaned close to her to murmur, "You of all people should know we discontinued that promotion." They exchanged a knowing look, his heart skipping a beat seeing her slightly crooked smile. Oh yes, she knew. He turned quickly on his heel. It was time to make his exit for several good reasons. "Ciao, ciao, all!"

Then everything went completely wrong from Roxanne's point of view and completely right from Megamind's.

* * *

><p>"I did it?"<p>

Roxanne gaped in disbelief at the skeleton gruesomely splayed on the floor at her feet. She barely heard Megamind as he tried to take in the knowledge that he had finally and conclusively defeated his rival.

"I did it!" he shouted, bouncing off an incredulous Minion and raising his hand to his forehead in disbelief. "Metrocity is mine!" He almost seemed to be in shock and laughed uneasily in his gloating. He'd actually annihilated the mighty Metro Man! _He wasn't immortal after all_. Suddenly he turned to the camera still broadcasting to the crowds at the museum. "Cower in fear, mindless masses!" he announced. "Your new ruler and master will be arriving to establish his reign – TONIGHT!" He leaned close to the camera and growled menacingly, "No one will stop me, although I certainly look forward to seeing you try. Mwahahahah!" He smugly motioned to Minion to end the transmission and turned to observe Roxanne's reaction.

She was still staring at the pile of bones. The skull's blind sockets seemed to be searching her reproachfully. Metro Man had never been her lover, although they had flirted when she first met him. In short order she'd realized he simply wasn't her type, and he must have sensed he wasn't making any headway with her and eventually gave up wooing her. They maintained an unspoken understanding that their assumed relationship was to their advantage though. The populace loved it. Roxanne's career got a boost, and Metro Man had nothing to complain about being paired with the cutest reporter around. She was always willing to do glowing stories on him and provided a standing date for public functions he was required to attend.

Overall, Roxanne had found him boring. A thoroughly nice guy, he was just too good to be true, never one to make a silly mistake or show any kind of personal imperfection. His conversation was full of trite clichés and, in the end, he was full of himself despite all the dramatic rescues and repeated battles to defend the city. She suspected that he really played the role to satisfy his own ego, a showman to rival Megamind himself. Deep down she despised that self-centered attitude in one who claimed to be a hero for the masses. He had a god-complex that would surpass any world-famous surgeon's. But now he was dead, what was left of him lying at her feet, because once again he'd been coming to her rescue. The guilt overwhelmed her. She looked up at Megamind, her eyes wide in her pale, dirt-smudged face.

_She doesn't look very impressed_. He realized with a start that he'd just murdered her boyfriend before her eyes. What did he expect her to think? At least now she would stop questioning whether he was truly evil. He had confirmed himself as the epitome of 'bad'. A murderer. A hero-slayer.

Minion's tentative voice broke their trance-like gaze. "Um, Sir? Should we…" Minion motioned toward the skeletal remains and then nodded significantly at Roxanne who resumed staring at them, a disturbed frown clouding her features.

"Huh? Oh! Yes… brainbots," he called. Several glowing cyborgs flew to him attentively. "Take this away." He waved his hand toward the former hero. Pincers reaching out delicately, they picked up the skeleton in one piece and bore it away, cape and all. "Minion, prepare that… for delivery."

Minion grimaced at the prospect of such a distasteful task. "Ew. All right." He turned and reluctantly followed the brainbots with their unsavory cargo down below. Megamind blankly watched them go. He still could not quite absorb the fact that Metro Man was no more.

"What are you going to do with him?" Roxanne finally questioned.

Megamind turned and regarded her. "I'll send the remains back to the family. I'm evil, Ms Ritchie, not barbaric."

To her, it was a contradiction, but she didn't feel like arguing the finer points of wicked behavior. She still could not believe he was actually capable of willful murder. "You didn't know he was going to die, did you? You didn't expect to kill him."

He scowled. "Of course I did! What else would be the point of all this?" Advancing nearer, he stopped by her chair once again. "Admit it. I've _won_." He folded his arms and added heartlessly, "Sorry about the end of your relationship."

His words stung, the guilt she felt at actually not liking Metro Man all that much weighing more heavily on her heart. She wanted to reiterate that he wasn't her boyfriend, but she couldn't bring herself to disown him now that he was dead for her sake.

"And now you see my true nature, Ms Ritchie. You said you wanted to know. Well, here it is fully realized in all its glory." He smiled a nasty smile. "My evil in its finest hour. Metrocity is mine. Maybe I'll create a slave army for my own amusement," he added, determined to show her how wicked he could be. He'd make her forget about the little deviations she'd noticed.

She shook her head slowly, refusing to buy it. "I don't believe you."

Frowning, he couldn't believe her stubbornness. "Why? Why not!"

She thought of his promise not to kiss her again and how he'd kept it even though she'd done her best to tempt him. She thought of the filigreed gun he'd cherished from childhood, and the frequent kidnapping card he'd carefully crafted just for her. She thought of his childlike enjoyment in trading insults and banter with Metro Man. Almost in a whisper, she warned him prophetically, "You're going to regret this. Megamind, you're going to wish this had never happened. I don't believe you ever meant to destroy him completely. You're not a killer." It had to be true. She couldn't be so wrong about him.

He grabbed her chin and forced her to look up into his eyes. He was so very frustrated with her right now. Why did she continue to question him? His mission, his motives, the purpose of his whole life? Hadn't Metro Man himself been one of the first to set him on the road to becoming the super villain he was today? What did she know? He'd finally gotten what he wanted, after years of trying over and over, and she was telling him he would regret it? He'd show her how wrong she was. "I _am_ a killer. And I am taking over this city. And...I think I'll make you my first conquest." He brought his mouth to hers roughly, determined to convince her that he was serious about his claims, wanting to leave her no doubt that he was a force to be reckoned with. At first Roxanne didn't respond, and he didn't care. Villains ought to be expected to break their promises, he told himself as he kissed her dispassionately, and take as long as they want about it too. Then, unbelievably, she pressed back ever so slightly.

Roxanne was startled by his sudden callousness. So he'd broken his promise after all, forcing a kiss on her that was lacking in any affection. However, they were still his lips, and she couldn't help reacting. She tried, but there had been too many times she'd wondered about this, toying with the idea briefly before mentally slapping herself. And now, allowing herself to kiss back, just the barest pursing, his mouth immediately softened and his fingers loosened their grip on her jaw. She began to pull back, but he let go of her chin and slid his hand along her cheek, drawing her back to him. This time he kissed her tenderly and she responded willingly. This kiss was much different. This was her daydreaming kiss.

Slowly dropping to his knees beside her chair, he brought his other hand up to caress her face, along her ear and into her silky hair, as his mouth searched hers. She could smell the musky scent of his leather gloves. They began kissing more passionately. Roxanne was glad her arms were still tied behind her, or she would have embarrassed herself further. It was bad enough as it was. Half her brain protested at her outrageous behavior, but she didn't want to stop.

Then she remembered Metro Man's bones being boxed up somewhere below. His mother and father would open that cruel package and weep unconsoled over the sight of what had been their only son, a beloved hero, gone forever. How could she be sitting here making out with his executioner? Was she totally heartless? Wayne had been coming to _save_ _her_. What was she doing? Her lips slowly stilled as hot tears of shame welled up in her eyes and slipped through her lashes. Despite his personality flaws, Metro Man had never let her down. He had been a friend.

Megamind had been blissfully enjoying the unbelievable feeling of her actually responding to him so much, he hadn't realized he was now kneeling beside the chair. When she froze, he pulled back from her, the warmth in his chest changing to a slow rush of cold panic and he suddenly became aware of the hard floor as well. _Oh no. What have I done?_ Then he saw the tears running from the corners of her tightly closed eyes_. _"Roxanne...?" When she opened them and looked at him, he mistook the shame he saw there for hurt. But why had she kissed him back? He wanted to yell in frustration. _No matter what I do with her, it always ends up a mess! _

Regret and uncertainty twisted his features. He almost looked afraid of her, and she suddenly felt powerful and angry – at him, at herself. She would get revenge for her friend. "You promised…" The words hissed past her lips. She swallowed hard, surprised at her own ruthlessness, but she steeled her resolve, wanting him to be hurt as much as she was, to learn a lesson for what he'd done.

He flinched as though she'd struck him and turned pale blue, knowing she was right. _This is not the kind of villain I want to be. Forcing her. Breaking my promise. She'll never respect that._ Completely shattered, he began to speak so brokenly she almost couldn't make out his words. "I didn't… I don't want to… to be that kind of … "

Abruptly he stopped, his face turning blank. _No_. Today was _his_ day, his triumph. He'd finally achieved his ultimate goal, and he wasn't about to start his reign of power being forced into apologies! She was going to have to accept what had happened, to Metro Man and between them. He scowled, determined not to give in to her emotional manipulations. And besides… she had been kissing him back. _Thoroughly_. "I told you I was evil." He stood up and pointed a slightly shaky finger at her. "And I believe you _enjoyed_ that."

Roxanne sobered. Her face blanched at hearing him accuse her. Bitter shame and anger swelled in her breast uncomfortably together, knowing it was the truth. "You _wish_!"

"Oh, I _know_."

"Well, I'll never make that mistake again! Get me out of this chair. I want to leave."

"You'll leave when _I_ say you can leave!"

"Minion!" Roxanne practically screamed.

Megamind huffed at her in amusement. "You can't call my henchman! He's only loyal to me," he informed her superiorly.

"Yes, Ms Ritchie?" Minion called out as he returned to the scene, his unpleasant task complete.

Megamind spun around and glowered at the accommodating fish so darkly, he retreated a step. What were these two up to? They'd both been acting very strange lately.

"Get the knock out spray. I'm ready to leave," she demanded angrily and glared at Megamind. "You got what you wanted. You don't need _me_ anymore." Flummoxed, Minion looked to his boss and back at Ms Ritchie's flushed, angry face. Was she actually giving him orders? Should he… comply? There really was no reason for her to stay any longer that he could see. He looked at Megamind again, eyes popping slightly in his confusion, and shrugged.

_How does she always manage to turn things around on me?_ Standing with his arms crossed and shoulders hunched irritably, he refused to answer Minion's questioning glances for several long moments. Then, unable to think of a reason to oppose her request, he finally nodded imperceptibly to the fish and watched him shake the can. Had he used her really? She certainly thought so now. At the last second, Megamind held up a restraining hand and leaned toward Roxanne once more. Somberly he reminded her, "_I'm_ not the one who said I don't need you anymore."

What does that mean, she wondered as she lost consciousness.

* * *

><p>It was already becoming late evening when she woke up in the driver's seat of the news van, the memories of the day's terrible events cascading in broken sequence over her as she slowly regained her bearings. The unexpected explosion… Metro Man's skeleton skidding to a stop near her chair… Megamind's forced kiss… kissing him back... her accusations… their heated argument… "I'm not the one who said I don't need you anymore." She looked around. Of course. He wanted her to cover his triumphal take-over of the city. That's why he 'needed' her. Resting her head against the back of the seat, she closed her eyes. Everything was so jumbled. He'd actually killed Metro Man. Was he nothing more than a murderer? Had he no greater ambition than power? Where were those fine qualities she had been so sure were just below the surface of his masquerade? Frowning, she remembered how roughly he'd grabbed her face and forced his lips against hers. But that's not how it ended, she reminded herself. She could almost feel his hand caress her cheek again and the warmth of his blue lips as his gloved fingers slid into her hair…<p>

"Roxanne!"

She jumped and opened her eyes. Hal stood looking in the window of the van in amazement.

"He brought you back? Wow, I was like just sure, I mean, _really_ afraid I'd never see you again! Are you okay? Can you believe Megamind totally destroyed Metro Man like that? We saw the whole thing on –"

"Yes, Hal. I saw it too." She ran a hand through her hair, wondering briefly what she looked like. There was no time to do anything about it now. Darkness was falling fast. "Get in. We have to go to City Hall."

As he climbed in the van, Hal looked at her carefully. She looked a little shaken. "Are you sure you want to go there? The police are already all over the place, but what if Megamind tries to grab you again? I mean, I'd like totally defend you, but, you know, I don't want you to overdo it or anything. I could always just take you home."

"He won't bother with me." She started the van and pulled away from the curb with a heavy heart. Her kidnapping days were over.

* * *

><p>Watching him strut and dance his way up the steps to the doors of the City's municipal building, Minion carrying the boom box blaring his "theme music" for everyone's benefit while the brainbots subdued the police force with lasers, she could feel herself becoming angry again. He was laughing. Games! It was all just playtime to him. Didn't he feel any remorse at all? She refused to stand near the front of the assembled reporters, not wanting to give him the satisfaction of seeing her covering the story. The usual evil monologue ensued after a small glitch in the proceedings. Nothing new there, she thought bitterly. Suddenly he asked for questions. Silence. All these seasoned reporters, she complained to herself, and everyone's too scared to even ask anything? Her hand shot up almost involuntarily. He couldn't see her, just the hand that had been raised.<p>

"Yes!" He pointed eagerly. "You in the back."

The people in front of her parted as she stepped forward with Hal and the camera near her shoulder. She noticed his confident smirk fade away. _Good. You need a wake-up call. We're not all afraid you_.

"I'm sure we'd all like to know what you plan to do with us. And this city."

_Us? Oh, the mindless drones. Not "us" us._ Nervously, his fingers danced along the microphone he held. Under the smudged face and wild hair, she looked irate. "Good. I'm glad you asked that." _Crap, no I'm not._ "Imagine… the most horrible, terrifying, evil thing you can possibly think of…" _Yeah, ok, this is good,_ "and multiply it… by SIX!" He paused for effect, but everyone seemed slightly confused. "In the meantime…" _Damn it, Roxanne! You're doing it to me again! Ok, forget her for now._ "Let's just have fun with this! And I will get back to you!" Raising his cape, he backed up and passed through the door, watching Minion follow him in. "Now slam the door, really hard!" He couldn't suppress a giddy laugh. They'd finally done it!

Roxanne sighed and watched the crowd slowly begin to disperse into the night with a low hum. People seemed subdued and uncertain. A few reporters made half-hearted attempts to comment on what had happened. The police force milled around, looking dazed and defeated, watching the brainbots take up defensive positions around the building. They murmured to each other and shook their heads.

Roxanne gazed up at City Hall, wondering what he would do in there first, ignoring Hal's transparent offer to stay the night with her in her apartment so he could "protect" her. They'd all relied on Metro Man far too long. No one else had ever bothered to try to stand up to Megamind. She set her jaw determinedly. Well, maybe it's going to take an entirely different approach to bring him down, she thought. _You'd better be ready, Mr. I-Am-Evil. You may be done with me, but I am not done with you. _


	7. Regretful in Metrocity

As she watched her once thriving city fall into disarray with stores closed and boarded up, parks empty and untended, garbage spilling over everywhere, citizens scurrying here and there like timid rabbits looking over their shoulders, her anger against Megamind remained stoked. For the next week and a half, she scoured every book in the library and in the Metro Man Museum for information on their new evil overlord. She knew most of what she was reading was deliberate conjecture, but there were always grains of truth even in the most blatant lie, and she was determined to sort them out like panning for flakes of gold. It was an incredibly painstaking task; especially more so now that she herself was so unsure of what the truth was about him. More than once she found herself staring into space, the books spread out before her on a library table and her pen hovering forgotten over her notes as her wayward mind replayed the scene in the observatory. How could she have enjoyed that kiss? She rubbed her skin to try to stop the pleasant tingle she felt on her cheek. How could she have been so wrong about him?

She hadn't seen him since the day Metro Man died, not that she expected he would keep in touch. There had been one night when she woke abruptly and warily sensed a presence in her room, but soon the feeling passed and she was lulled back to sleep by the undisturbed silence. Later she assumed she must have been awakened by a dream. At one time she would never have even suspected Megamind might sneak into her apartment with any intention more depraved than the usual harmless kidnapping and never in the middle of the night like that, but since he'd murdered Metro Man and broken his promise, she didn't know what to expect any more. It wasn't that she was afraid of him now, and she couldn't deny her own part in their romantic exchange, but miserably she realized she was a little disappointed that he hadn't tried to contact her in any way. Maybe he really had been just using her all along.

At first Megamind and Minion were spotted often, looting the banks gleefully, repainting the dome of City Hall (blue, of course), walking boldly about staking their claim on everything with graffiti, and generally taking and doing whatever they wanted. The sightings slowly decreased over the second week though, and now it seemed he mostly stayed holed up in City Hall, sending out his brainbots to retrieve things. People murmured to each other about the change in behavior, uneasily wondering if he might be planning to spring some sort of unpleasant surprise on them for his own amusement.

Roxanne guessed he was already beginning to tire of it all. Having observed him for years, she knew Megamind thrived on challenges. He needed a goal to work toward or at least some opposition to contend with. By this time, with no one to fight him and everything way too easy, she suspected he just might be bored. Unless the sudden decreased in public appearances indicted he was in the planning stages of a new idea. What had he said about creating a slave army? At the time, when she still believed he had at least a tiny morsel of virtue hidden away, she thought he was joking. Now, as with everything else, she just wasn't sure.

Walking through the Metro Man Museum during her lunch break, she spotted the curator up ahead, locking a door. What was his name again? She grimaced, hesitating before approaching him. He was so extremely dry and condescending. The few times she had tried to ask for his help, he looked her over as though she were a complete moron and prefaced his acerbic remarks with barely concealed insults. She'd heard he was hired because he was the leading expert on both the city's super hero and super villain, and she'd been hoping to pick his brain about the information she'd gathered, seeing if he could help her determine truth from lies. He turned and spotted her.

"Oh… it's you again."

She tried a winning smile. "Yes! Nice to see you too!"

"I didn't say it was nice. I just said it was you." His slow, emotionless voice grated like sandpaper.

She laughed uneasily. Surely that was a joke? "I see you're hard at work. Obviously you're very dedicated to your job!"

He sneered, recognizing a buttering up attempt when he saw one and began coldly walking away from her. She fell into step just at his shoulder, refusing to be shaken off so easily. "Oh yeah, I'm dedicated. So dedicated I'm obviously working myself to the bone here, and I'm sure you'll understand when I tell you this is my half-day off. Which I desperately need." It had only been a couple weeks since the museum opened and there really was very little to do to keep things up even though he worked alone.

Roxanne blinked. _Why is he so sarcastic?_ She was tempted to give up requesting his assistance, but she really needed someone's help with her research. "Well, um, I was hoping to get your expert opinion on some information I've gathered."

He glanced at her. This was the reporter who kept taking the same books on Megamind off the shelves over and over again, making him replace them nearly every day. That annoyed him intensely. "Half-day off, remember? I'm leaving right now," he witheringly explained again.

"Oh, right, sorry." She stopped in her tracks and watched him continue on without her. "Maybe another time?" she called hopefully.

He didn't bother to answer.

* * *

><p>Although the city wasn't able to hold a public memorial for its fallen hero out of fear of what their new dictator may do to disrupt such an event, the funeral for Wayne Scott, aka Metro Man, was held on a sunny Saturday as a semi-secret, private affair reserved for his family, select officials, and of course his presumed girlfriend. His parents treated her especially kindly, certain she must be grieving the loss of her long-time sweetheart, but it was Roxanne's overwhelming guilt and frustration that welled up as silent tears that swam in her eyes. Even as she stood watching the huge coffin being lowered into the ground, she was wondering if Megamind knew about the service. <em>As if he'd care<em>, she scolded herself acidly. _Stop crediting him with having actual feelings._ Only a very careful examination would have revealed the presence of the quietly glowing cyborg concealed in a tree nearby, discreetly transmitting a live feed of the service back to the evil overlord in City Hall.

Megamind slouched in the oversized executive chair before his supersized television and watched the funeral gloomily. Minion was out at the art museum with a detachment of brainbots, attempting to retrieve undamaged a particular marble statue that had caught his eye last time they were there. They needed one more mannequin for displaying his favorite capes in the foyer of the Hall. Yes, Roxanne is there, he noted, observing the scene in the cemetery. The late afternoon sun betrayed the glisten of a tear on her cheek, and she quickly swiped it away with her palm. At least she wasn't sobbing uncontrollably. That would have eaten at him for a long time to come. It was bad enough seeing her cry yet again, but what did he expect? Crestfallen, he swiveled away from the screen, then with a scowl he turned back. The family was throwing the last flowers into the grave, embracing, beginning to depart. _It must be nice to be loved_, he thought morosely. _If I died, they'd have a celebration_. The very idea left an empty feeling in his chest that wasn't at all unfamiliar. He had often felt the same as he boarded the bus to return to prison after school, looking back briefly to see the other children playing happily together, knowing he wasn't wanted and wouldn't be missed when he was gone.

Just before the feed cut out, he saw Roxanne standing near the grave alone as a breeze ruffled her hair. She was frowning now instead of crying. _She still looks angry_. He sighed. It had been tempting several times in the past couple weeks to go kidnap her again. He ached to talk to her, to explain things, to apologize, even just to argue with her. He just wanted to see her again. Minion would question his motives though, since now there was no good reason to abduct her and no one to come save her. One night, unable to sleep and therefore also unable to stop thinking about her, he broke into her apartment and silently watched her sleeping. She'd almost seen him, waking up suddenly just as he ducked outside the frame of her bedroom doorway. If she'd gotten up… he shuddered to think of what would have happened if she'd caught him there. It wasn't worth the risk.

If he'd thought he could deny having feelings for her before, it was useless lying to himself about it now. Whenever things became quiet, the memory of their kiss came rising up in his conscious thoughts like a bobber on the surface of a lake. He could push it down, but it would float back up again, and he didn't really want to forget anyway. She _had_ been kissing him back. There was just no question. He looked around the room and thought that he'd gladly give back all the things he'd taken to have her willingly press her lips to his like that again. _Maybe I should have thought of that before I destroyed Metro Man. As if I ever had a chance with her anyway. _What had it meant though? Was she just attracted to him because he was alien? He knew there were people like that. They got off on anything odd, the more unusual the better as far as they were concerned, and he certainly was that. Roxanne didn't seem to be that type of person though. So why? He shook his head, having ineffectively been over this so many times it made his head hurt.

"_You're going to regret this_." How could she have known that? The memory of her doubting his intention to utterly destroy his enemy, doubting his very evilness, and warning him about future regrets stung even more because she had been right. Controlling the city had become incredibly boring very quickly. He realized too late the challenge of being opposed was what had created the excitement he thrived on. All the fun had gone out of the game, and he had to admit it… he missed his old rival. Wayne had been the closest thing he had had to a friend except Minion. They knew each other since childhood, and they knew each other well. Thinking back on their battles, he could clearly define the unspoken rules they'd tacitly abided by for years. Time-outs were strictly respected but never to be misused, citizens who had gathered to watch a battle were off-limits, and they both made sure Roxanne made it home safely at the end of the day.

The room was becoming dusky as evening fell, and the deepening darkness matched his mood as he sat contemplating what his life had become. _Why can't I just be happy? This is what I wanted. Isn't it? _He looked around the room at the things he'd amassed so far, priceless treasures all and more waiting out there for him to come along and pluck like ripe fruit if he wanted. None of it filled the yawning void that seemed to have taken the place of his heart though. _I can have anything I want, but no matter what I have or do, I still feel empty._ He frowned sadly. _Well… not anything I want._

Outside the window the oversized tribute to the man the city once adored slowly and endlessly rotated, showing off his perfection immortalized in concrete, the face smirking in an endless "I told you so." No, he would never be perfect like that or adored. Turning away again, he finally turned on the desk lamp, unable to stand the gloom beginning to press in on him. Spotting the silly bird perched on the edge of his champagne glass, futilely drinking over and over, he folded his hands on the desk and rested his chin on them. The odd toy had amused him at first with its stupidly repetitive behavior. Now it seemed to mock him. "I know. I understand you, little well-dressed bird. Purposeless. Emptiness. It's a vacuum, isn't it! It's… What's your vacuum like?"

Minion joyfully bursting into the room with his newly acquired marble mannequin startled him. Annoyed at having his private session of wallowing in self-pity interrupted, he scolded him, "Hey! Hey! Hey! Not now, Minion. Can't you see I'm in a heated existential debate with this dead-eyed plastic desk toy?" Noticing several bills had become impaled on his spikes, he tossed them aside irritably. _That's what I've been reduced to. No more witty banter with Metro Man, no more cute comebacks from Roxanne. Sitting here talking to myself and my meaningless possessions. _He turned away from Minion's appalled face, berating himself silently for taking his frustrations out on the one person who always remained true to him.

The poor fish was at a loss. His boss was increasingly unhappy these days, and he didn't know how to help him. Hadn't they finally accomplished their goals? What more did Megamind want? He felt a responsibility to try to pull him out of his sour despondency, but he had no idea where to begin.

"Is… is something wrong, Sir?"

"Just think about it. We have everything... But we have nothing."

"I'm sorry, Sir. You've lost me."

Megamind sighed wearily. "I mean, we did it, right?"

"Uh, well, _you_ did it, sir. Yes, you've made that perfectly clear." He was going to make sure the boss got all the credit this time. That usually pleased him.

"Then why do I feel so... mel-an-choly."

"Melancholy?"

"Unhappy."

"Oh. Well, uh…" This made no sense to Minion. Why was he so upset now that they'd won? Maybe Roxanne would be able to help. She was always very perceptive. "I know! What if tomorrow we go kidnap Ms Ritchie! That always seems to lift your spirits!"

Megamind brightened. If Minion was suggesting it himself, maybe they could. Suddenly he considered what Roxanne's reaction would probably be. She's just been to Wayne's funeral. There was no way he could endure her temper or bear to hear insults from her right now. Plus, how would they justify the abduction? Before, she'd always been brought to the lair to be the bait that lured Metro Man into one of his plans. "Good idea, Minion. But without him… what's the point?" He looked out the window again.

"Ok, then," the water creature conceded finally. "I'll just power down for awhile…" As he sank into the lower level of his habitat, he stole one last look at his depressed friend. Should he tell him about the skeleton now? Surely Megamind was not regretting having destroyed Metro Man? Thoroughly confused, he decided to hold onto his secret a little longer, knowing that some day he would probably have to confess the very odd discovery he'd made.

* * *

><p>Catching the late news as he always did, he listened to Roxanne's broadcast intently. Leaning toward the big screen almost made her life-sized. She looked stunning of course, even though the day must have been a tough one for her. He was glad he could see her and her not see him sitting there in his pajamas. She was boldly reporting from the base of the Metro Man Museum, telling her listeners about the secretive funeral service she had attended that afternoon and giving her own final tribute to the man who had defended the city for so many years. Seeing her solemn expression and hearing her heartfelt words clutched at Megamind's heart. He was sure she would never speak of him that way. But of course, Wayne had been her boyfriend. Maybe even her lover. That didn't bear thinking about. The revolving statue slowly turned toward him again, smirking. He would have to do something about that, or it would drive him insane. "Brainbots…" Suddenly Roxanne was addressing him.<p>

"And I have just one question for Megamind." Her wide, somber eyes bored into his, and her lip quivered. "Are you happy now?" He sank back in his seat away from her rebuke. _No_…

* * *

><p><strong>Hmmm, so much head work in this one. The next chapter: we head into the museum and get to see Megs play Bernard! Ye-haaa for reviewers! Love you guys that hang on for the ride!<strong>


	8. Enter Bernard

"Aaand, wrap that up and give it to a child on Christmas! 'Cause we're done!"

Roxanne turned and looked up at the gigantic, rotating tribute to Metro Man sadly. She hadn't had enough time to herself at the funeral, feeling an obligation to stay near the family. So far there hadn't been a good time to go express her feelings privately and to really say goodbye. Now she felt pulled to go inside the museum and just be alone. "Ok. See you tomorrow, Hal."

"Roxie, wait! I'm having a party at my house. It's gonna be like, off the hook or whatever. You should come over." He looked at her hopefully. Since she wasn't Metro Man's girlfriend anymore, he knew he finally had a chance.

The last thing Roxanne wanted right now was to have to fend off Hal's unwanted attentions. Again. "I don't know, Hal. I don't really feel like being around a bunch of people." _Does he not remember I was just watching my supposed boyfriend be buried today?_

"No, no, no! That's the best part - it'll be like, just you and me."

Silently staring at him, she realized the 'party' meant 'them'. _Is he serious? Ok, this is creeping me out._ "Wow. Uh. That's certainly, uh, that's very… tempting."

"But I did hire a wedding photographer. That's just in case we were like, something crazy happened. And you wanted a picture of it, for like, to keep it forever, like a memory, you know."

Roxanne's face betrayed her disbelief and extreme uneasiness. He was seriously deluded. "Um, I'm going to pass." She began backing up the steps. "I have some work here I need to do."

"So Thursday instead? Soft Thursday?" Roxie was so sweet to everyone, he was sure he could get her to say yes if he just pressured her enough. She wouldn't turn him down forever. Not Roxanne. She wasn't as cold as other girls who acted like heartless…

"Goodnight, Hal."

"It's a soft yes on Thursday."

She was climbing the steps, determined not to respond. _If I just keep going, I won't have to say no outright, but I won't have said yes._ Hal's persistence was more than annoying now. He was beginning to become more subtly aggressive in pursuing her, completely ignoring answers he didn't want to hear. What she really wanted was to rip him a new one and take him down a few pegs but, no, that wouldn't be wise. After Wayne's death, he hadn't even allowed twenty-four hours to pass before asking her out, and he had just become pushier since. She really felt it was crossing the border into harassment now, but confronting him was a disagreeable idea. Whenever she toyed with the idea of reporting it, a little warning bell sounded in her head telling her he'd be the type to retaliate or at least become very unpleasant to work with afterward, not to mention all the office gossip and messiness that would inevitably follow.

As she reached the top step, she heard him angrily cursing as he slammed the door of the van. She looked back and watched the vehicle driving erratically away. Sighing, she knew she would have to deal with the situation eventually. Maybe she ought to approach her boss about it confidentially first, just to let someone know what was happening. Just in case.

Slowly she walked into the building. It was near closing, but she only wanted a few minutes, some time to be quiet and alone with the memories of her former friend in this place dedicated to him. Thinking more kindly of him now, she passed meditatively through the corridors filled with information spots about his unique abilities and his career, remembering all the times she'd been held captive, waiting for a rescue and knowing he would come. Yes, he'd been self-centered, but he never once let her down.

It really had all been a game to both of them. She saw it clearly now. _I guess it was to me too. I knew I wasn't in danger. Admit it, Roxanne, you were in on it. You liked what it did for your career. It's not as though Megamind was the only one acting a part during all that_. Once again, she felt a pang of sadness and wondered where he might be and if he had any remorse or was at least realizing what a mistake it had been destroying his rival, not knowing that as she exited the elevator he was opposite her coming out of the second lift, preparing to make his own goodbyes.

"I've made a horrible mistake." He walked to the railing, the bouquet of yellow flowers that signified friendship clutched tightly in his hand. "She was right. I didn't mean to destroy you. I mean! I _meant_ to destroy you… but I didn't think it would really work." Finally he could admit to himself he'd been as shocked as anyone when the huge skeleton plastered him to the floor. The first realization that he'd actually won a battle had been so exhilarating, it had taken him these past couple weeks to finally admit what he had lost - a friend. Or at least a friendly rival. Metro Man could have killed him outright many times. Not that that would have fit in with his image as a hero, but Megamind knew the real reason neither of them harmed the other was because, in the end, they both thrived on the antagonism they shared. "What's the point of being bad when there's no good to try to stop you?" That was what he'd decided was his destiny all those years ago, to be the bad guy, the force that good needed to oppose. And now it was no more. And it was his fault. And seemingly Roxanne hated him. He slumped dejectedly.

"What are we supposed to do?" Depressingly, her research had reached a dead end. She'd been over everything, there was nothing new to glean from those books, and yet she still was at a loss to sift the facts from the information she did have. "Without you, evil is running rampant through the streets." It was disheartening that no one in the whole city would stand up to Megamind. Not the police or mayor, not anyone. What made someone a hero anyway? Did it only come with having super strength? Laser vision? Well, she thought, I'm as bad as anyone else. What have I done to stand up to him? What _can_ I do? Using her own skills hadn't gotten her very far as yet. "Someone has to stop Megamind." Would someone standing up to him begin to make him understand that being evil was a waste of his talents? Not likely, she frowned, if with all his superior intellect he hadn't learned by now. If only he'd stop pretending and harness those abilities he has for something good.

"Hey, we're closing soon."

Roxanne jumped at the unexpected interruption of her private musings, her hand flying to her chest. "Oh! You scared me! Barry... right?" Blushing, she realized she'd been talking aloud.

"Bernard," came the dry, deliberate correction.

_Great. Now I suppose he'll be even more put out with me for getting his name wrong_. "Bernard. I was… well, I was talking to myself. You probably think I'm a little bit nuts."

"I'm not allowed to insult guests directly." His hooded eyes passed over her, clearly agreeing with her self-evaluation.

"Uh, thank you." _No need to be direct, buddy. You get your message across just fine_. "Bernard, I'll just be another minute."

Heaving a dramatic sigh, he clearly expressed his annoyance with her delay in leaving. "Okay…"

"Thanks." She managed a brief smile. _I will be nice to that man if it kills me. I may need him yet._ Watching him push the cart of familiar books away, she thought, _yet another person whose motives I can't figure out. Maybe the truth is I just don't know people as well as I think I do. Maybe Megamind really is just plain old evil, and Bernard just likes being a jerk._ She looked at Metro Man's statue, slowly turning her way with that smug grin. _So what does that make you?_

"I had so many evil plans in the works." He mused over a few of the many different plots and inventions he and Minion had been working on, put on hold indefinitely now that Metro Man was gone. They'd always kept many irons in the fire at once, partly because Megamind's incredibly fecund mind never stopped coming up with fresh ideas and partly because not all of them worked. Developing several inspirations simultaneously allowed things to sort themselves out somewhat. The better ideas rose to the top while the sinkers sunk, and yet they had little lag time between successive plans. That was how he liked it, keeping the enemy on his toes. He smiled thinking of the fun they'd had, then just as quickly he sobered and felt his heart drop into his boots. The great rival, his perfect foil, was no more. "Battles we will never have…" Wayne had understood the game. He had been one of his only friends, if he could be considered a friend at all. He had so very few, he couldn't afford to not claim him as one. All too late though.

Roxanne heard the sound of a stifled sob echo through the open space, bouncing off the smooth, curving walls. Who was that? Perking up her ears, she tried to catch the sound again. Someone was talking, but she couldn't make out words. Who would be here so late? _I must be as nuts as Bernard thinks I am. That almost sounds like… Megamind?_ She began to stalk along the catwalk slowly, almost fearful of finding out.

"You know, I never had the chance to say goodbye. So, it's good that we have this time now, you know, before I destroy the place." He flipped open the detonator and depressed the button to start the countdown. "No offense. It just brings back too many painful memories." Dropping bouquet and detonator box toward the brainbots working on loading the base of the memorial with explosives, he took one last look at his rival's stony face, smiling in perpetuity.

"Hello? Hello?"

The question reverberated in the air, startling him. Hs eyes flew open as he recognized the voice. "Roxanne!" He thought she'd left. He'd seen the news van drive away before coming over. Looking down he realized he was about to be caught in his pajamas and slippers. Ok, he'd seen her in hers, but she looked cute. He just looked… ridiculous. Panic set in as he broke into a run, watching behind him to see how close she was. A completely calm, logical voice at the back of his mind coldly informed him it was past time to have Minion redesign his sleepwear, and suddenly he slammed full force into a solid object. "Ooaf!"

"That's a pretty tasteless costume." Bernard had seen a lot of cosplayers over the years. This guy's hazard sign speckled outfit didn't even come close to being a good depiction of Megamind's badass leather and lightning bolt ensemble. His cape even appeared to be made from a satin sheet tied at the neck. He sneered.

"Costume?" Geesh, was it even worse than he thought?

Evaluating the spectacle before him further, he added, "Megamind's head is _not_ that grossly exaggerated."

_Grossly… all right, that's just uncalled for. _Pulling out the dehydration gun, he looked back again to see if Roxanne was in view yet, and decided this unsavory person would have to do as a temporary facade. She was going to come around the corner and discover him at any moment! He scanned the man, who looked completely unimpressed and sighed condescendingly.

"Uhhh, and you've made a cheap replica of his dehydration gun." Megamind looked down at his favorite pistol and back at Bernard crossly. _You deserve this_. "How won-" The man was instantly desiccated as he heard Roxanne again, very near now.

"Hello? Is someone there?" A flash of light up ahead caused her to pause. _What was that? That looked really familiar_…

As he fumbled the cube from hand to hand, the feeling of panic rose up choking in his throat. _Hurry! Hurry! _A pair of glasses and a cell phone remained behind on the cart, so he grabbed them up quickly and turned on the disguise generator. He shoved the glasses on crookedly, rising up stiff and still just as her steps sounded behind him. _Did she see it? I'm so dead!_ _Oh, the cube!_ He tucked it into a jacket pocket.

"Oh! Whew! It's just you, Bernard!"

"Oh yes! It's just me… Ber-naard…" _What an asinine name. And I forgot to record the voice! Maybe she won't notice. I wonder how well she knows him_. Grimacing at his mistake, he nervously straightened the glasses and began to walk quickly toward the elevator, keeping his face carefully away from her. Despite the disguise, he felt exposed and vulnerable, as though she might see through it all at any time.

Roxanne was oddly relieved. Of course it wasn't Megamind. She'd been thinking about him far too much lately if she was starting to imagine him everywhere. "Well, thank you for letting me stay."

"Look, I wouldn't stay any longer than two minutes and thirty-seven seconds if I were you." _We have got to get out of here_. He began pounding the call button desperately. "We're having the walls and ceiling removed."

"Wow, that sounds like… quite the renovation." Definitely Bernard's style of telling someone to leave. Apparently he had no patience when it came to ending his shift. "Guess I'll catch a ride down with you then." She jumped into the elevator just as the doors began to close. _Maybe I can try again to get his help. Was that really him I heard before? It sounded like he was upset._

Megamind had just breathed a sigh of relief seeing the doors sliding together when she suddenly slipped between them. _Oh no. This is it. She has me trapped. She knows!_ Roxanne sighed, and he glanced at her nervously from the corner of his eye. If she started in on him today of all days, he wasn't sure if he could take it. _I don't have the knock out spray. Maybe I can just stick my fingers in my ears and hum until the elevator stops and then make a run for it_. He stole a peek at her again. She didn't look like she was about to attack him. _Why is it that this woman intimidates me so much? She's only beautiful. And slightly brilliant. And..._

"I kept thinking he was going do one of his last minute escapes."

_Oh no… She doesn't know it's me, and she wants to talk to this Bernard about __**him**__. _He looked up at the memorial again. _This is almost worse. _His shoulders slumped hearing the subtle admiration of the former hero in her voice, but he'd actually wondered the same thing when the Death Ray had first hit the observatory. And now, he even wished it had been true.

"Yeah. He was really good at those," he admitted despondently.

"Oh, if only the world had a reset button."

Wow, she'd thought of that too? "I've looked into the reset button." While Minion was out, he'd tried working out the concept on paper, wondering if he could somehow return things to the way they'd been pre-Death Ray and then find some excuse to reduce its power, but it was hopeless. "The science is impossible." All his best work, now useless. His destiny, the purpose of his life – forever unfulfilled. Suddenly overwhelmed by despair, he stumbled out of the elevator, trying to stay in control of his feelings. _I am not going to break down in front of Roxanne even if I am in disguise!_

She stayed right behind him as they continued walking and stepped onto the escalator. "Bernard… I had no idea you had… feelings. Are you all right?" _He's grieving. That's why he's been such a grouch. This totally makes sense. He's been dedicated to knowing everything about Metro Man and Megamind's lives, and he's devastated at the loss of his hero. Of course._

"Metro Man's gone and now there's no one left to challenge Megamind." _Who's going to assume that role and fulfill my destiny? No one_.

"Oh, come on, Bernard. As long as there's evil, good will rise up against it." With a supportive hand on his shoulder, she tried to encourage him. He pulled away a little at first as though he wasn't used to being touched.

"Oh, I wish."

"I believe someone's going to stand up to Megamind," she stated determinedly.

"You really think so?"

"Yeah. It's like they say." She stepped off the moving stairway. "Heroes aren't born; they're made."

_I've never heard that before... Wait. _"Heroes can be made." A dim light appeared in his bleak thoughts and slowly began to glow with brighter intensity, clearing away his clouded thinking like the sun burning off fog from the lake. "That's it! All you need are the right ingredients." He glanced at Roxanne, realizing she might not be thinking of this idea the same way he was.

"Yeah! Bravery."

"Yes."

"Strength!"

"Of course!"

"Determination," she added, warming up to her idea more and more. She looked at the statues of past heroes standing in this section of the hall. Not all of them had had super powers. Yes, heroism came from the heart. Anyone could be a hero.

"Imperative!" _My determination_. He turned and spotted the molecular model he'd been thinking of all along. "And a smidgeon of DNA," he murmured, touching it reverently. "Oh with that, anyone can be a hero!"_ I wonder if Minion saved that cape?_

"Yeah!" She hadn't heard him mention the DNA, but she noticed the astounding change in his mood. _He's like an entirely different person now. Poor guy. He must have really been low. _As he picked her up excitedly and swung her around, she had a fleeting feeling that something else was different about him, but she couldn't put her finger on what it was. He certainly was excited about this idea, his green eyes lit up like stars. _Without that horridly sarcastic attitude, he's actually kind of attractive_.

Far from being intimidated now, he almost felt like kissing her again he was so grateful for her inspiration and the new optimism it gave him. The beeping of his watch caused him to pause and comment instead, "I think we should run now!" _Cutting it way too close here..._

Laughing, she assumed he was being funny about closing time again until he grabbed her hand and actually began jogging quickly toward the exit with her in tow. _Why the rush? He's certainly punctual about getting off work. Maybe they don't pay him much. Or maybe he has a night job he has to get to_, she guessed as they quickly went out the doors and down the front steps. _Maybe he's even married_. She looked for a ring while with a shrill whistle, he hailed a passing taxi. She asked, "So, could you help me out some time with that research I mentioned? I really need someone else's point of view on this, and you're the best person I can think of to consult. I'm sure you're very busy," she conceded, wondering if he really was trying to hold down two jobs, "but I wouldn't need a great deal of your time." She turned the full force of her best "pretty please" expression on him.

"Huh? Oh," he said, noticing her beguiling eyes. "Of course. Any time." _Hopefully Bernard will know what she's talking about. Lucky guy._ Regarding her a little longer, he couldn't help smiling. Maybe he'd just hang onto Bernard's cube for a while longer and see what this research she was doing was all about. Last time she'd been looking into his dehydration gun. Who knew what she was up to now, and it was in his best interests to find out, right?

"What's your cell?"

He looked at her blankly. _Cell. Not prison cell. She must mean the phone._ He offered her the device from his pocket as he opened the taxi door and waited.

_Ok_, she thought. _Some people do have trouble remembering their cell phone number_. Finding it quickly, she memorized it and put her own on his list as well and handed it back. Then she got into the taxi and smiled up at him. "Thank you, Bernard. You've really given me a feeling of… hopefulness again."

"As you have to me," he purred to her sincerely and closed the door. He waved. _You have no idea_. "Bye!" The taxi pulled away from the curb, and he sighed with relief. Thankfully the place hadn't blown up before she'd left. He turned toward the museum again and twisted the disguise off. "Time to put the past behind us! Only the future…" The explosion almost knocked him off his feet, and he suddenly recalled the terror of being too near the factory destroyed by the Death Ray. "OH! I'm too close!" He scrambled this way and that, dodging falling chunks of concrete. "I'm genuinely scared right now! I hope nobody's seeing this!" Abruptly he began laughing as he ran, the wonderful new idea Roxanne had given him and the adrenaline rush of another near miss again making him giddy.

* * *

><p><em>Sorry, readers! I feel I failed to make good on my promise for a little more action here. Holi-day planning and celebrations, sick kids, late nights have me off my game. (Excuses, excuses, Hunger...) I'm excited to go on and explore the hidden Bernard dates next though. Family responsibilities permitting. And can I just say I have been chatting with some of the most wonderful people here. Some of you know I will gladly spend time chit-chatting in private messages when I shouldn't even be online (like at 3:30am HA!). You people are the best! You make this place so fun! Please review, readers! I need to feel the luuuuuve... <em>

_Newest recommended fic: 'Put Another Nickel In' by Nora Salisbury. Go pee first. Seriously._


	9. Back at the Evil Lair

All Minion knew for certain was that lately his boss seemed to be doing a lot of plotting without him. He'd had no idea Megamind was going to destroy Metro Man's museum statue until after it was already blown to bits, and now here he was in the process of creating a hero-making pill from dandruff. Where were these new ideas coming from? Wherever it was, it was his job to steer the mad blue schemer away from anything too reckless, and this seemed like trouble in the making for sure. "Sir, I think this is a bad idea."

"Yes! A wickedly bad idea for the greater good of BAD!"

_He's not listening to me. I've seen that crazy look in his eyes before. And there he goes biting his lip again. This is not good_. "But I'm saying that this is the kind of bad that… ok, you might think is good in your 'bad' perception, but from a good perception? It's just plain bad."

Metro Man had been unique in many ways, but none more so than in the fact that he never intentionally harmed Megamind despite all their years of rivalry, and Minion realized he easily could have. Maybe it was due to feeling guilty about their school years and all the bullying he'd caused the smaller blue boy to endure, or possibly he felt a kinship between them due to their shared alien heritage, or just perhaps he truly was extraordinarily morally upstanding. _Nah, probably not that last one._ But could a lab-created "hero" be trusted to play the game the same way Metro Man had just because they created him from those same borrowed genes? There was still free will to contend with. Did heroism come from genetics or from the heart and mind?

"Oh, you don't know what's good for bad!" Megamind groused irritably, carefully lifting the glowing bolus off the receiving tray. Minion always poo-poo'd ideas he hadn't help come up with at first. Plus, _he'd_ still been perfectly content looting the city unopposed, although Megamind no longer was. It hadn't been Minion's destiny to become evil incarnate. His job was to be the sidekick, and obviously he just didn't understand the need to have a hero to fight.

"Now we have just one shot at this." Placing the precious capsule in the DNA infuser with a childish grin, Megamind pulled the loading pin. "Must find a suitable subject. Someone of noble heart and mind… who puts the welfare of others above their own." _It shouldn't be difficult to find such a person. Every human child is taught the golden rule from a young age_, he assumed. _Heck, Roxanne would be the perfect person for this._

The sudden ringing of the unfamiliar device Megamind had stashed in his back pocket the previous night heralded the arrival of that very person. And she was right outside. Minion could not quite believe his eyes seeing Ms Ritchie on the monitors, standing before the secret entrance. She really was quite smart. Oddly, his boss seemed to be rather conflicted in his reactions toward her. At first he sounded almost seductive speaking to her on that tiny cell phone. Then, once he realized she was about to breech their hiding place, he panicked.

"MINION!"

_How could I forget to bring in the doormat!_ Trying unsuccessfully to creep away, the mortified little water creature spun around quickly in his dome at the reproach. "I kept forgetting where it was?" he protested meekly.

"She'll discover all our secrets!" Megamind shouted and shoved the DNA infuser into his henchman's metal hands, then pushed him toward the storage cabinet used for his gorilla-style mecha suit. "You dim-witted creation of science!" She was already in, and if she kept going straight down that hall, she was headed their way.

_Well, it's not all my fault_, Minion thought truculently as he stood inside the dark storage closet. _We've kidnapped her so many times it was almost inevitable she'd eventually find her way here on her own._ As he waited patiently for Megamind to come back and give him the all-clear sign, he began to think about the changes that he'd noticed in his friend lately. First, he was certain there had been something that happened between those two out there at the last kidnapping. _No_, he decided after pondering a bit more, _it was before that._ _It must have been when Roxanne turned in her card for a look at the de-gun, and then while I was dehydrated… what happened? _After he'd been rehydrated, he noticed Megamind had been very distracted the rest of the day. Then after Metro Man's death, he really began to brood.

It wasn't as though Minion didn't know that his boss had a crush on the lovely reporter. That had been obvious for a long time. He would never hear of kidnapping anyone else, always using the excuse that she was Metro Man's girlfriend and therefore the perfect bait, but Minion wasn't fooled. And he didn't particularly mind since Ms Ritchie was amusing and pretty and such a good sport about it all. He liked her quite a bit himself and looked forward to seeing her again at each kidnapping. But something had changed about Megamind's attitude toward her, and he couldn't quite put his finger on it.

There also was the troubling fact that his boss simply was not listening to his advice these days. He understood now that destroying Metro Man had led to him becoming very unhappy, and he had finally realized Megamind actually missed the battles and maybe even missed his old foe. _He didn't just want to win. He lives to fight and be fought against._ It made sense then that he wanted to create a new hero, but Minion had very serious misgivings about how he was approaching the whole idea. Although they might be able to reconstruct the former hero's physical attributes in a host body, they would not be able to recreate his personality. The more he thought about it, the more worried he became. Looking down at the gleaming infuser gun in his hands, he considered "losing" the DNA bolus. Megamind wouldn't fall for that though, and he'd be livid with him for making another blunder after the doormat slip-up.

A hushed sound outside caught his attention. _That sounded like the curtain being pushed aside. He must have chased her off._ Luckily, just before he stepped out of the cabinet, the sound of voices made him stop short.

"The mother lode! Wow… Just look at this thing…" Roxanne stared in awe as Bernard trotted up behind her. _All of this came from one person's imagination? His brain is crammed full of… stuff!_ She slowly walked forward, staring, and at the same time the dehydration gun filled her thoughts once again. Its filigree style work and flowing lines fit in here like a piece in a puzzle_. I was right. This is him. Talk about an intricate mind._ In the center of everything hung an airy sort of structure made of cards and pieces of paper with mathematical equations, complex formulas, and detailed blueprints all in the familiar flowing handwriting she recognized from the back of her Frequent Kidnapper Card. Here and there hung random cards that seemed to have nothing but a line or two scrawled on them. _How does he keep track of all this? It doesn't seem to be just a mess, but how is it organized?_ Her brain recognized there was a pattern to the whole, but the more she mentally tried to grasp it, the more it slipped away from her.

"Wow," he gasped as he caught up to her, utterly unnerved.

"You know, I could really use your help in deciphering all this," Roxanne mentioned.

"Really!" Megamind's expression became more anguished as he followed her closer to the complex puzzle hanging from the ceiling, completely at a loss of what to say. Crossing his arms anxiously, he covered his mouth to stop himself simply shouting at her to go away. He was appalled at seeing his inner sanctuary, all his private thoughts and plans, suddenly opened up and on display. Even for Roxanne. Especially for Roxanne.

"You're the expert on 'all things Megamind', right?" She couldn't believe her luck in finally managing to get Bernard's help at just the right time. Would even he be able to make sense of any of it? "Together we could figure out his plan for the city and stop it."

_So that's what she's been after Bernard about._ It made sense now as he remembered the annoying man was the museum's curator. _But how much could he possibly know about me? I've never met the guy! _He bit his finger anxiously, trying to decide what he should do.

Looking back, Roxanne asked, "So are you in?"

Wide-eyed, he wasn't sure how to say no. What would Bernard have said? "Oh, what fun!" he exclaimed with a ghastly attempt at a smile.

"That's what I want to hear!" She lifted the camera and began snapping photos._ Megamind, why? Why hide yourself, playing the bad guy in spikes when you could obviously do so much good? _His gentle kisses came unbidden to her mind again as they often did in odd moments, and she was more convinced than ever that Metro Man's death had been an accident. She just couldn't believe he could touch her so tenderly and be this intelligent and have a complete lack of morals as well. To her, the three could not coexist in one personality peacefully without at least one of those elements being out of place. Well, here was the evidence of his intelligence clearly on display, and she had not imagined those kisses. _Now that I have Bernard's help, I am finally going to get to the bottom of this. And then... I'm going to confront him._ The anticipation of it gave her a shiver.

_I have to stop this! She's taking pictures! This is like one of those horrifying dreams where you suddenly realize you have no clothes on and everyone is staring at you._ Backing up a little, he pressed the communication button on his watch. "Minion! Code: Send in the brainbots!"

Minion had been listening intently, concealed inside his metal cabinet. He actually found the situation rather amusing, not seeing any harm in Ms Ritchie finding Megamind's planning center. He was sure she wouldn't be able to decipher it. Plus, it was kind of funny knowing she'd gotten the jump on the genius for once. "You know, Sir, the point of a code is-"

"Oh, code: Just do it, Minion!"

He calmly pressed the 'intruder alert' button and heard the brainbots come swarming out of their chute, and then suddenly he was falling over with the large storage cabinet. As he tried to break his fall to protect his watery habitat, the infuser gun slipped from his grasp and out onto the floor, completely exposed. _Oh no! Hopefully she won't notice that…huge, brightly glowing gun right beside her._ He palmed his face. _I'm dead_.

"Bernard!" Roxanne cried out, watching the brainbots carry him away. _What have I gotten him into?_ She knew the little cyborgs were not particularly vicious, except the one that had a tendency to bite, but poor Bernard certainly wouldn't be used to them. He wasn't used to any of this like she was. Suddenly she saw the strange gun glowing on the floor at her feet. _Where did that come from?_ She picked it up and ran after the group. Rounding a corner she saw Megamind picking himself up off the floor. "Megamind… what have you done with Bernard?"

"Oh, Bernard? Oh yes, I'm doing horrible things to that man. I don't want to go into details, but lasers... spikes…" He grabbed the doors leading to the under level storage area and threw them open to give the impression of checking on his latest victim. _Better make this believable_. "Oh nooo! Not the laser and the spikes!" _She knows how I work._ "You know the drill." _Ooo! That would be a great torture device!_ "NOOO! Not the drill!"

"Let him go!" Why would he be terrorizing Bernard? Roxanne thought it all seemed a little stagey, but it didn't matter. She was responsible for bringing the mild curator here, and she would get him out again.

"Or what?" _Yes, let's play that game! What exactly would you be willing to do to get me to let 'Bernard' go, Roxanne?_

"Or," she thought quickly and held up the gun she'd nearly forgotten she was holding. "Or I'm going to find out what this weird-looking gun does."

_What! How did she get that? …Minion!_ "NO! Don't shoot that gun! I'll just go get him." He jumped into the hold. It actually contained storage boxes full of old suits and capes, some of Minion's rejected designs and some of his back-up outfits. _What in the world have I gotten myself into?_ Using the holowatch's partial projection mode and grabbing an extra glove, he put on a performance worthy of a Broadway production, coming up now and then to see if Roxanne was buying it.

The two men appeared to be well matched, and they bantered like old pros while they struggled. She was amazed Bernard was holding his own against Megamind. _There is something…not right about this, _she thought. Uncertainly, she began to edge closer to the doors, ready to jump in and help Bernard if she had to, when suddenly they burst open and the rattled curator flew out, landing against the wall with a thud.

"Bernard! Are you all right?"

"I tried to stop him… but he's too fantastic!"

Roxanne laughed slightly_. That's a little overly dramatic_, she thought. _I guess he admires him_. The whole thing seemed off somehow, but deciding now was not the time to analyze it she ignored her misgivings. "We have to get out of here." She already had the photos she wanted.

"Here, let me carry that heavy gun for you." He tried to take it from her, but she pulled away and began walking back the way they'd come.

"I've got us covered." Carrying the gun gave her a feeling of security because she had sneaking suspicion her blue captor was very nearby, watching and waiting to pounce.

Frustrated, he slipped behind her, turned off the disguise again, and hid himself around a corner. "Let go of it… it's MINE!" Jumping out at her should have startled her enough to cause her to let go of the thing, but she hung on tighter instead. _Good grief! I forgot how strong she is!_ Hearing her shout to Bernard to make a run for it, he was relieved he'd at least been able to pull off the dual-personality performance. _Come on, Roxanne! Let go! Don't make me kiss you again_. "You're going to break it!" The gun fired, and they both stopped in alarm.

As Roxanne ducked back down the hall to make her escape while Megamind was distracted, she looked left and right, hoping to catch a glimpse of Bernard. Looking back, there was no sign of anyone following her, so she slowed down to take stock of her surroundings. _Maybe he's already made it out. Where am I anyway? This place is like a maze. _Looking around she realized she was near the door with the exit sign, so she ran to it and quickly stepped in. Shrieking, she felt herself begin to fall from the narrow ledge toward the alligators below when a hand reached in and pulled her to safety.

"Bernard! You were right about that door being exciting!"

The phalanx of brainbots appeared again, and she followed Bernard's lead in running toward the secret entrance. Spotting a cache of dynamite ahead, she had an inspiration and swiped a stick from the table as they ran past. A stray brainbot made the perfect lighter, and then she tossed the lit explosive to her companion. "Here!"

"Seems a bit extreme, doesn't it?

"Just throw it!" She heard him mutter something before he finally tossed the stick backward just as they reached the holographic wall. The force of the explosion blew them off their feet and right through it, but they landed unharmed on the ground outside. Coughing a bit, Roxanne took stock of herself and then looked up at Bernard. He seemed startled but no worse for wear. She was pleasantly surprised at his fortitude. "Wow, you were really strong in there!"

"Yeah. I know," came the distracted reply. Megamind was hoping the explosion hadn't damaged anything too badly. He noted the hologram was holding and worried slightly over how many brainbots might have been destroyed. The poor things had thought he was throwing them the wrench.

"I've never seen anyone but Metro Man stand up to him like that!"

The tone of her voice caused him to turn his attention to her as he suddenly became aware of what she was saying. Genuine admiration shone on her face so close to his, and he suddenly knew all those looks of gratitude and favor she used to give Wayne upon being rescued were nothing more than stock expressions she employed as part of the game they played. But 'Bernard' had actually impressed her just now. _He_ had impressed her. He allowed himself drink in that look for a moment, a reaction he'd wanted from her for so long but had never seen before. _Have I been going about this the wrong way?_

A groaning broke into their silent contemplation of each other, and they turned to see Hal sit up holding his nose. As Roxanne attended to him and listened to his obviously contrived explanation of what had happened, Megamind was studying the puzzling logo on the man's shirt. _'Bite Me'? And little fangs on a smiley face. Odd. Is this some reference to vampires? Maybe he's issuing a personal challenge to evil._ "Wow, brave one, isn't he?"

"Who are you?" Hal hostilely questioned him, taking an immediate dislike to this nerdy-looking man who had been inside Megamind's hide out with Roxanne. He should have been the one in there with her. And he would have been too if he'd been able to figure out how she got through that wall.

"Oh, this is Bernard. He's my partner."

Megamind couldn't believe his ears. Had she just insinuated they could work together? "Yes! Her partner." Of course she meant Bernard, but he couldn't stop the warmth spreading in his chest, especially seeing her smiling at him again with those sparkling blue eyes. _I can do this! I can be Bernard for a while._

If possible, Hal disliked the man even more now as jealousy quickly took hold of him. "Well, look partner. _I'm_ her partner. She doesn't know what she's saying. She's been through a traumatic experience." No one was listening to him.

"I'd better get him home. Thanks again, Bernard," she told him admiringly. Then suddenly she hugged him.

Jaw dropping in astonishment, he couldn't respond at first. When he'd kissed her, she'd still had her hands tied and only he had been able to touch her, caressing her face as gently as he could, and that had been amazingly wonderful. But now... her arms were around him, and it took a moment for his brain to engage enough to reciprocate. Tentatively, he hugged her back, realizing no one had ever held him like this before. Minion wasn't exactly capable of embraces in his piscean form, and his cold metal suit wasn't very conducive to physical expressions of friendship either. Touching of any kind had been greatly discouraged in prison, and the warden had been especially careful not to let the other inmates act too affectionately toward the little alien boy growing up under his care. Some could not be trusted. Others tried to be kind in their own rough way without getting too touchy-feely. Having a warm willing body, Roxanne's no less, pressed to his for the first time was simply overwhelming. He hadn't realized how innate was the need for this simple physical affection, but now he just wanted to stand there forever holding on to her. She pulled away though and gave him a playful punch on the shoulder. "I'll call you tomorrow, partner!"

"Yeah. Ok. I'd like that," he managed to respond. Watching her steer Hal away to the van with one last smile back at him, his brain seemed to be swimming in golden sunshine, and he felt as though his knees might collapse. _Come back... I want more_.

"Sir? Sir? Did they get away?"

"Huh?" He was still in a daze, watching the van pull away. "Oh! Oh." He turned off disguise and tried to pull himself together. "Code: Get the car!"

* * *

><p>Driving Hal home and barely listening to his usual, droning, one-sided conversation, Roxanne thought about Bernard. What an enigma the man was! He'd seemed so bitingly sarcastic, dry, and humorless when she first met him, and now he was completely different. Maybe he'd been grieving, but the change she noticed in him was so astounding, it really did seem like he was a different person altogether. He'd walked into the evil lair once she'd called him and stood up to Megamind in person whereas before she hadn't been able to get his help going through a few books on the city's greatest villain.<p>

Once again she wondered how he had arrived at the hide out so quickly. _Maybe he really was in the vicinity and found the one building with a fake observatory on the roof when I told him about it. That's a stretch. And 'formal speed walking'? Wait, could he have been following me? _She glanced at Hal, who was still talking_. That's the guy who'd be following me if we weren't already working together. But how else would Bernard have figured out where I was? Or…maybe he already knew where the hide out was! Does he even know Megamind personally? That might explain that odd performance I saw._

"Roxanne? Are you ok? You're not, like, suffering from shock or something are you? 'Cause I could stay at your place. And then, you know, you could make sure my nose is good, and I can, like, comfort you or take care of you or whatever."

"Uh huh. No thanks, Hal. I'm fine." She tuned him out again, replaying the scene at the cellar doors in her mind. It had certainly seemed like a set up. Why would they not want her to know that the two of them were acquainted with each other? She frowned, puzzling over it but not being able to come up with a good reason. _If Bernard is an expert on Metro Man and Megamind, maybe he knew them both. That would explain how he came by his knowledge. But why keep it secret?_ It didn't make sense. Somehow she would get around to asking him about these things, and in the meantime, she was looking forward to calling him tomorrow and getting to work on finding out more about the truth of Megamind.

* * *

><p><strong>First, a huge thanks to my beta. I've never asked for a beta reader to help me before, and she probably wishes that I still never had one! Just kidding. She puts up with a lot from me, but she is just wonderful and patient. Anything out of place here is entirely my own fault due to me not following her instructions carefully enough or possibly messing with this after she edited or even after publishing. I tend to do that. *slapping own hand* Thank you so much, mommy2caitlyn! It has been a total blast working with you, my friend. :)<strong>

**Second, I had to look at the movie a few times to check on things here and in the next chapter (and yet, you'll still notice I used my creative license and messed about a bit, and that's intentional). I had a couple snickers at some things on the DVD that I never noticed before. First, when Megamind and Minion first go to Hal's place and knock him out with the Forget-Me-Stick, he's apparently been reading a little black book entitled "Best Comic Book Villains Ever". So! Has Hal always secretly admired villains more than heroes? Hmm...!**

**Also, when they fly through Metro Man's toothpaste-endorsing billboard during Hal's training, you can see that Metro Man is glancing at the picture-perfect swirl of toothpaste on the brush next to him and saying, "It looks like my hair!" LOL That completely cracked me up! Sorry, you've all probably seen those a million times before, but I finally just noticed them and had to share. :D**

**Next chapters... should be posted quicker than this one (now that we have finished a full week of stomach flu; five kids and two adults? it takes a while to pass) and **_**finally**_** some "not in the movie" content. Who exactly is Roxanne falling in love with while she's meeting with **_**Bernard**_** to learn more about **_**Megamind**_**? And how's our blue baddie going to deal with it? Dun-dun-DAH! :)**


	10. Lunch Hour at the Library

The next few weeks fell into a regular routine, although quite a demanding one, even for a person of seemingly unlimited energy such as Megamind. Mornings were devoted to training Hal, who, although he was now possessed of all the right physical attributes of the late hero, took forever to learn to harness and control them in proportion to the task at hand. He tended to be overly enthusiastic and heavy-handed in his style of fighting and showmanship, and, no matter what he tried, Megamind could not get him to grasp the more refined art of bantering.

"Let's face it," he conceded, slouching in his chair after a particularly futile round of trying to teach his protégé some basic badinage. "He's a lout." It was rather depressing. He had hoped Metro Man's finesse would be recreated alongside his super-abilities, but apparently he was going to have to settle for Titan's bull-in-a-china-shop brand of heroism instead. He had at least managed to teach him a few clichéd phrases and stock expressions, but Hal seemed to think about as much of them as Megamind did himself. "Oh well, maybe over time and with some more experience he'll get the hang of it," he remarked hopefully to Minion, who looked profoundly dubious that Hal was capable of getting the hang of anything. Still, he was a hero to fight and that was the whole point.

The lunch hour was always set aside for Roxanne. While Minion cleared away the rubble and made repairs after the morning training sessions, Megamind would anxiously wait for a text or a call from the reporter letting him know if she was free to meet. As he came to be considered an official source for her research, she was occasionally able to justify spending more of her working hours beyond lunch with him as well. Although at first he was determined to not give her too much information about 'Megamind', he soon realized that he could draw out the amount of time she would continue spending with him if he threw her facts now and then like a trail of breadcrumbs. Over time and without even realizing it, he began to reveal more than he'd ever intended. Maybe it was due to her skill as a veteran reporter or maybe it was simply because no one had ever seemed to care to know the truth about him before and finding someone who did, and even better someone whom he also cared about, caused him to slowly open up.

The day after she'd found her way to his secret lair, Megamind had entertained high hopes for Hal, seeing him pick up the power of flight immediately, and decided to begin the hero lessons with a basic rescue. His hopes were quickly reduced to more realistic expectations as the whole operation and mock-up fell apart before his eyes, and Hal proceeded to completely melt the dummy villain's plastic head with sadistic glee. Megamind realized a lot more work was going to be necessary than he'd first assumed, and the wait to begin battling the city's new champion would be longer than he wanted.

After dismissing an excited Hal at the end of the training session, he switched off his Space-Dad disguise with a resigned sigh and watched Minion and the brainbots clear away the damaged equipment. The still unfamiliar ringing of the cell phone startled him from his moody ruminations.

"Bernard? Roxanne. Would you have time to meet with me today?" With the museum destroyed, she knew he would probably be looking for a new job.

_She did say she'd call me._ He wasn't sure if the fluttery feeling that assailed his stomach was due to nervousness or excitement. He gripped the phone but answered as nonchalantly as possible, "Of course. When and where?"

"How about the library? I have an hour for lunch. Meet me near the front desk at noon."

"I'll see you there." _An hour with Roxanne. And she won't even be tied up!_ Biting his lip, he closed the phone and stared at it while he contemplated the possibilities and vividly recalled the hug she'd given him. Abruptly he heard Minion ask, "Was that Ms Ritchie again?"

"Ah. Yes, it was."

"She still thinks you're Bernard, doesn't she?" Minion couldn't see the point of continuing the charade or why Megamind wouldn't simply rehydrate the poor man and let the real Bernard be the one to go meet with the reporter.

Crossing his arms, he explained with exaggerated patience, "I told you, Minion. She's up to something. Apparently she wants this _Ber-nard_ to assist her with some sort of research on me, and I want to find out what it's about before she manages to stick her pretty little nose too far into my plan to create a hero." _And never mind how much I want to see her again._

"How bad could it be?" Minion shrugged and frowned at his friend as he gathered up the arms and legs Hal had ripped off the dummy. "We're talking about Ms Ritchie here." His boss had never worried much about her finding out what they were up to before, even though he did always like to try to surprise her.

Megamind opened his mouth to respond but then recalled that Minion didn't know the whole story about Roxanne's attempts to pry into his personal motivations, her refusal to believe in his evilness, or their illicit scenes of mutual attraction. "Do you recall what happened when she decided to research the de-gun? And how she managed to find the lair?"

Remembering watching the two of them wrestle for the pistol on the floor before being dehydrated, Minion looked thoughtful and finally nodded in agreement and gestured with one of the dummy's arms. "You have a point. She's getting bolder all the time. So, what are you going to do?" He began to reattach the blue mannequin's limbs to its torso.

Relieved that he'd managed to deflect his sidekick's objections, Megamind chided, "I would have thought you could see it for yourself, Minion. 'Keep your friends close and your enemies closer.' Sun Tzu. I'm going to continue playing the mild-mannered curator until I can find out what she's up to. That will also allow me to keep track of and control the information she gathers." He frowned and paced back a forth a bit, uneasiness welling up in him again as he remembered her standing in the lair taking endless photographs. "Don't forget she has photos of my idea cloud now."

"Oh now, Sir, I think we can hardly consider Ms Ritchie our enemy," the sidekick protested mildly, grimacing at the melted head on the model as he stood it upright again. "And I'm sure she's not going to be able to unravel your… uh, puzzle. " _That would have been a mistake. I almost called it a mess_. He knew it made sense to Megamind and was brilliantly devised, but it still looked like a jumble to him. "But I do see your point."

"Right! So. I'll be meeting her today at noon." He looked at his watch, wishing the time would pass more quickly.

"Don't forget I need your input so I can begin my designs for your newest evil outfit," Minion reminded him as they walked out of the gym and turned out the lights. "And you have a lot of work to do on the schematics for the giant battle suit." Fueled by Megamind's frenzied excitement and a lot of coffee, they had worked late into the night hashing out a basic plan of how the first showdown would go between the new hero and the Evil Overlord.

Shoulders dropping, Megamind commented dryly, "Considering Hal's performance today, I think there's going to be plenty of time to accomplish all of that and more before he's ready for our debut fight. Besides," he assured him lightly. "I'm only meeting with her for an hour. We'll start on those things as soon as I get back."

* * *

><p>He was already waiting at the library's front desk when she arrived. Spotting him, she smiled and walked toward him, and he felt his heart skip a beat. <em>Remember, you're Bernard<em>.

"Thanks for coming, Bernard," she said as they chose a library table and sat down. "Fully recovered from our adventure yesterday?"

"Oh, of course," he reassured her, preoccupied with watching her remove several large books displaying his own face from her satchel. "No problem at all."

"You know," she paused in unpacking her things and looked at him thoughtfully, "it's not as though just anyone could take on Megamind in hand to hand combat and blow up part of his secret hide out and just…take it all in stride." She was watching him with a slightly puzzled expression.

"Well!" A puff of breath escaped him, and he tried to look less confident. "He was pretty frightening! But, you know, with a good night's sleep…things always look better in the morning." _What am I doing? Play the part, or any time now she's going to figure this out, and I've had it! _He felt a qualm about his ability to continue the travesty he'd begun, but a single thought soothed him. As yet, Roxanne had never seen the disguise generator work. She had no idea he was capable of appearing as someone else. _If she's able to jump to the conclusion that 'Bernard' is actually me using a hard-light projection, she's beyond intelligent...she'd have to have a IQ and imagination to rival my own!_

With a little shake, Roxanne put her amorphous questions aside. "Glad to hear it! Now, I hope you can help me sort through my information here." She placed a stack of notes beside the books on the table and looked at him. "I mean, you're familiar with these books, right? They're full of misinformation."

Staring in consternation at the glossy dust jackets, he wondered. _How did they get these photographs of me? And why am I not receiving royalties?_ "Well… I'm not really that familiar with them. The fact is, I've never cracked them open before." He tentatively lifted the cover of one as though unsure he really wanted to find out what was written inside.

"What? You're kidding. You've never read these before? But I thought you were the city's biggest expert." He hadn't even looked in the books? She'd seen him handle them, push them around on the cart in the museum, roll his eyes when she asked for his help in locating one that was missing from the shelf.

Hearing her disbelief, he looked up at her. _Oops. I suppose an expert would be familiar with the literature._ "You just said it yourself. They're full of misinformation anyway… so, uh, why bother to read them?"

"Oh. Well, I guess I see what you mean." Thinking of how frustrated she'd been with the books herself, she wondered just how much it bothered him as an expert to read such nonsense, especially if he knew Megamind personally, as she suspected. "I know it can be annoying to see how other people mistreat a subject and distort the facts when it's something you know a lot about yourself."

"Exactly!" It was a close call, but she'd practically talked herself out of her own doubts. _Maybe if I can get her to talk, I can stop sticking my foot in my mouth._ "So, tell me how you became interested in doing this research. You've known Megamind for a long time, so why this sudden decision to find out more about him?"

"Well, I have been his _kidnapping_ victim for a long time, but that doesn't mean I ever really knew him." She paused, thinking about how much her own perceptions of him had changed over the past couple weeks. "Something happened. Right before the final show down with Metro Man…and I started questioning what he's really like. What his motivations are."

"What happened?" _As though I don't know_. Realizing he was leaning forward eagerly, he relaxed and carefully composed his face into an expression of mild curiosity. _I wonder how much she'll be willing to tell 'Bernard' about all that_.

"Um… I'm not sure I want to say. It's a fairly private matter." She wasn't about to describe having found herself passionately kissing her captor while the vanquished hero's bones were being carted away.

"Hmm, I see!" He nodded slightly and gave her a rather knowing look. "That's rather tantalizing, Ms Ritchie, withholding 'private' information from an expert who prides himself on knowing everything about his subject." He smiled seeing her color slightly. _Oh, I would love to hear her side of the story!_

She cleared her throat. "So, how did you become an expert on our two rivals?" She tapped the books next to her. "Obviously not just from being well-read."

He felt another twinge of anxiety. _I should have thought of that. How am I going to explain being so familiar with Wayne and…myself? _"Ah! Well. You'll have to forgive me for being mysterious, but I'd rather not say what my relationship is to the two of them. At least, not just yet."

"Oh?"

"I guess we both have a few secrets we'd like to keep to ourselves. For now." He gave her a conspiratorial wink, and she grinned in return. "But I can tell you, all my information is entirely factual."

"I see!" Smirk. "I guess I'll just have to trust you." So finding out how he managed to show up at the hide out so quickly wasn't going to be as easy as simply asking.

"You can trust me, Roxanne," he assured her. "I don't deal in rumors. For instance, I know there's a commonly accepted belief that you went to school with Megamind. And I know it's not true."

"You're right, another rumor. I never met him until I became a reporter."

"And Metro Man's 'significant other'."

So he believed in the fallacy, but then so did the rest of the city, including Megamind himself. It seemed wrong not to correct him, but she still felt reluctant to disown the relationship so soon after Wayne's death. Discomfited, she looked down at the table and shifted her papers around.

_No denial this time_. He felt a little disappointed and realized he'd been holding out hope that she actually had been telling him the truth in the lair that day when she asserted there was nothing between her and Wayne. "Well! Let's look at these books, shall we?" He flipped through the pages of the one open before him while Roxanne searched through her notes to find what she had jotted down from that particular publication. Scanning a few pages quickly, he suddenly questioned, "Do people really believe this stuff? I mean, listen to this." He read a short excerpt theorizing Megamind's long-term incarceration beginning in infancy had been intricately orchestrated and funded by Metro Man's own alien race in an attempt to keep the blue genius from destroying the world they'd sent their own precious son to rule and guard. "That's simply ridiculous!"

"So you would assert that's not true?"

"Of course not!"

"Well, look. The guy's kept himself hidden away and mysterious for so long, people will make up stories to fill in the gaps and believe almost anything. And you know how the public likes their fiction: the stranger, the better."

Flipping ahead several pages, something caught his eye. Pausing to read again, he started chuckling. "Oh my, did you read this?"

Roxanne began giggling with him even before he'd reached the end of the passage. She remembered that part. The author had allowed himself to freely speculate about his subject's intentions to take over not only the city but the whole human race by infecting it with his genetic material through reproductive means. Hearing it out loud, or maybe it was something about the way Bernard read it, made it sound even more absurd than the first time she'd come across it. "Not buying it?" she teased.

He glanced up at her in disbelief, "Not even close! Come on! Who could believe that? I mean...even about someone as corrupt as Megamind." He blushed, and Roxanne found his flustered manner rather endearing.

"Well, he is an alien. And with all the movies about aliens trying to take over the world, people are primed to think anything at all could be true! Fact and fiction get pretty confused by the public in a situation like this."

"Www-ell… Metro Man was an alien too." He'd nearly referred to him as 'Wayne'. "And did writers make up such fantastic tales about him? Things like this?"

"Since you haven't read the books, I guess you don't know that, yes, they did. He did at least have the advantage of being more human looking. But I could tell you some the things they've written about him…! It would make your toes curl," she whispered confidentially.

"Really?" Intensely curious and keen to know if Metro Man suffered from the same seamy speculations Megamind apparently did, he leaned toward her and asked, "Like what?"

Roxanne paused, her mouth open, remembering that it had not been very long since Wayne passed away. Feeling a little ashamed, she glanced away from him and demurred, "I probably shouldn't… spread rumors. You might come across one or two things in the books if you're really interested."

"Oh. Oh, I'm sorry." His face fell at seeing her sudden discomfort. _Here I am asking her to speak ill of the dead when_ s_he's still missing him. If she knew it was me sitting here with her_… He looked down at the page again while she composed herself. As he flipped ahead a couple chapters, he quickly became absorbed in the conjecture he found there.

Notes forgotten for a while, she enjoyed watching his face as he rapidly read various parts of the book, obviously engrossed in discovering what twisted facts were being propagated therein. _He's an incredibly fast reader._ What was nagging at her? There was something very familiar and rather fascinating about Bernard, but she couldn't pin it down. _Probably just the phenomenon of seeing an expert discuss his subject_. She had observed it before, especially in interviews. A person who at first seemed to have about as much personality as warm milk would suddenly spring to life and become intensely animated when allowed to speak at length about a subject they really enjoyed and understood.

Suddenly he was snickering to himself. "Roxanne, listen to this one!" As he read another passage to her, eyebrows nearly dancing across his brow, he suddenly collapsed back in his chair and gave in to a hearty laugh. Just then a hatchet-faced librarian passed by their table and with a sour look shushed them so loudly that they would have felt her spittle if she'd been any closer. Megamind righted quickly and looked abashed, sinking into his seat a little. It was far too much like being back at school with that acerbic woman who called herself a teacher.

Roxanne simply looked amused, watching the librarian stalk away to patrol the rest of the building, her hawkish eyes on the look-out for offenders of proper library decorum. "I guess we'd better keep it down or we might get kicked out by Genghette Kahn there."

"Yeah." He relaxed again as he watched her moving further away.

"You know, she always makes me feel like I'm about eight years old in school again, about to get sent to the principal's office," Roxanne whispered and giggled.

He glanced at her in surprise. "Did you get in trouble in school a lot?"

"Not really. Did you?"

His eyes glazed over a little as the unpleasant memories came flooding back in a rush. "Oh yeah." Then he looked at her again and shook himself a bit. _Stop falling out of character! _"I mean, I had my fair share. In fact, I was pretty naughty at times."

She smiled at the mild-looking man sitting across from her. "You hardly seem that type. What kinds of things did you do?"

"Well, there was once…someone got me in trouble." He held out a hand in appeal, as though he hoped she might understand it wasn't all his fault. "This person got me in trouble a lot, and I was tired of it! So, uh, I decided it was about time I showed him he couldn't just keep pushing me around."

Anticipating a good story, Roxanne waited with raised brows. "And…"

"Well, I put together a couple things from the supply closet in our classroom… and blew the place up."

"What! You blew the school up?"

"Oh, not destroyed it! It was a color bomb." He smiled at the memory of all the children's shocked faces and chuckled. "I turned everybody in the classroom blue."

Roxanne gasped a little and stifled a laugh, her hand over her mouth. "No way! Wow, that's payback! I bet you really got in trouble that time."

"Yeah. I got kicked out."

He seemed sad at the recollection, so she asked, "What about the person who got you in trouble? Didn't he ever get caught?"

With a derisive snort, he pulled himself back to the present again. "No! He never got in trouble. He was a… what do you call it? The teacher's cat?" None of the children dared tease Wayne by singing 'teacher's pet' at him. He had been adored by them as much as the teacher herself.

Roxanne laughed shortly. "Teacher's pet." Rolling her eyes, she added, "Oh, in school they always seem to be the best at everything. Never do anything wrong! In the end, they usually turn out to be pretty boring." With a coy smile, she admitted, "I always found my slightly naughty classmates much more interesting."

Frowning, he was still thinking about all the time he'd spent standing in the corner while the teacher praised Wayne and pinned stars on him. "Right! No matter what he did, it was perfect. Even if it wasn't!" Suddenly her last statement registered. "Oh!" A smile lifted the corner of his mouth as he noticed her still regarding him with pleasant affirmation. Suddenly he found himself having to fight back the memory of touching her hair and kissing those smiling lips. _How I wish I could tell you who I really am_._ And I wish knowing who I am wouldn't drive you away._

Checking her watch, she murmured, "Nuts, I need to get back to work."

Disappointed that their time was up so soon, he protested, "But…we never even got around to discussing your notes! I'm sorry. I think I spent too much talking about myself."

She stood up and began gathering her things into tidy piles. "That's all right, Bernard. I really enjoyed talking to you." Developing a good relationship with a source was a reasonable use of time. Maybe if he became more comfortable with her, he would eventually tell her how he knew the two super rivals. Smiling at him, she admitted to herself it wouldn't be an unpleasant task gaining his confidence. _He does have the most amazingly green eyes..._ _That's what it is! His eyes are the same color as Megamind's! Nobody has eyes that color. _She frowned, watching him stack up the books._ Contacts...has to be. I wonder if it's common for an expert to admire his subject enough to try to emulate him? Well, who wouldn't want those incredible green eyes? Looks nice on him too. _"I guess we'll just have to have another meeting and try to stay focused on Megamind next time."

Standing up, he agreed, "Yes! Right," and almost laughed at the irony. Then, hands on the books, he asked, "So, what about tomorrow?"

"I'm afraid I can't. I have an appointment already." She pushed her hair behind her ear and glanced up at him. "Friday I could meet you here during my lunch hour again though."

"Super! Let's do that!" He beamed happily and bounced on his heels a bit, not knowing how flattered she felt at his eagerness. It had been a long time since anyone besides Hal had been bold enough to express an interest in her, thanks to being paired with the city's hero and having the threatening shadow of the villain hanging over her as well.

"And why don't you keep those books for now. If you get a chance to look through them and see anything factual in there worth mentioning to me, that would save us time." Lifting her bag onto her shoulder, she smiled at him. "Thanks again, Bernard. I'll see you Friday!"

"I look forward to it!" he answered, watching her leave. _Save us time? That's not exactly part of my plan, Roxanne_. Standing there gazing after her with a sappy grin, he hadn't noticed the patrolling librarian had come up behind him until she cleared her throat. Jumping and spinning around, he thought his heart was going to stop. It seemed as though she was looking right through his disguise with her hard, piercing eyes. "What?"

"Don't forget your books," she hissed through her dry, whiskery lips, pointing at the table.

He snatched them up and left as quickly as he could without actually running.

* * *

><p><em>Dear readers...my apologies for further delays after thinking I would be updating this story more quickly after the last chapter. I had an unfortunate emergency happen this week, and although I'm back home recovering now, it's probably better if I don't promise to make quick updates anymore, although I do hope to continue the story through to end I have planned. Thanks for continuing to read. As usual, I depart occasionally and purposely from the movie and from other canon, such as the comic which tells us Megamind, Roxanne, and Metro Man attended school together. If that makes this an AU story, that's fine.<em>

_Big hugs and heartfelt appreciation to my patient beta, __**mommy2caitlyn**__, who is dealing with her own difficulties this week. If you knew what all was happening between the two of us, you might be surprised there's a chapter here at all! :P As always, any mistakes left behind are all my own._

_**Reviewers**__... as always, you bring me a lot of smiles and happy little rainbows and sparkles dancing around my head. It's almost as much fun to read the reviews as it is to write the story! Your helpful thoughts and kindness in taking the time to send a message helps fuel the chapters that follow. :D Thank you! Thank you!_


	11. Of Bike Rides and Bedroom Baiting

"He's hopeless…_hopeless_!"

It had been another frustrating morning of fruitless efforts, and the last straw was when Hal had run them both through a billboard after he'd completely lost control of his flight form. Megamind was beginning to seriously wonder if the oaf fate had deemed worthy of Metro Man's DNA could ever be trained to be a hero. The instructions he gave seemed to fall on deaf ears or be forgotten minutes later. Even pointing out Metro Man's own example didn't seem to clue the buffoon into how he ought to be acting. Surely he'd seen the former hero in action before. Who hadn't?

Minion sat re-fluffing his Space Step-Mom wig as the brainbots attended to yet another of Megamind's grazes and bruises. The wig tended to get a little ratty and flat, and, as with everything he did, Minion liked to put forth his best effort for the role. Even though he didn't have any particular fondness for the hero-to-be, he did feel an obligation to try to boost his boss's spirits. It was only the fourth day of training after all.

"Maybe we should change tactics." Upon reflection Minion had decided that their mark did not have the sophistication of thought necessary to multi-task the way Megamind expected him to. Learning form, strategy, and control simultaneously, and sometimes throwing in banter as well, was overwhelming for the merely average intelligence of a person like Hal. Minion had an idea of what might get through to him though.

"Think so?"

"Oh, you know how boys are. They love video games." Megamind had played them himself when he was much younger. Most of them he tired of quickly since they were too easy for him to defeat and because he usually found the villain's ultimate demise at the end of the game rather unsettling, but Minion had retained a special fondness for one particular title. "I could throw a few parts together…" _Oh! I know exactly how we could use that for training! And it would be fun for me too!_ Minion's face lit up realizing that if Hal was as familiar with the basics of the game as he suspected he might be, he wouldn't need to think about what he should be doing but could concentrate completely on gaining better control of his abilities. Suddenly he realized Megamind was not listening.

"Can't wait…lol, smiley face…"

"Can't wait for what, Sir?"

"Huh?" he asked absentmindedly, finishing up his text and trying to appear nonchalant. "Oh, it's just Ms Ritchie reminding me of our appointment today."

"Meeting again, eh?"

He shot the fish a cross look as he turned around on his seat. "Don't start, Minion. We've had this discussion, and I explained to you my reasons. You'd better expect me to be meeting with her regularly."

"All right! I just hope you know what you're doing, that's all."

"Of course I do." Megamind stated flatly. "I have no idea why you would think otherwise. Now what's your idea?"

Minion shook his head. His brilliant friend could be so stubbornly oblivious sometimes. Well, if he wanted to pretend he didn't have a fondness for the reporter, there was no way to try to talk to him about it. Might as well let the thing run its course. Eventually Roxanne would probably figure it out, and Megamind would be forced to give up the charade. That would be messy, but the sooner it happened, the better. Setting his concerns aside, he happily he began to explain how he intended to set up his Donkey Kong style training center, giving himself a starring role and giving Megamind a break.

* * *

><p>"Are you all right?" Roxanne asked over the books spread out between them. He hadn't realized he was frowning and rubbing his head until he saw her looking at him with concern.<p>

"Oh, yes," he lowered his hand again and smiled reassuringly.

"Headache? We don't have to do this right now, you know."

"No, no! I'm fine." _Stupid billboard. At least we wiped out Metro Man's smirking face in the process._

"Been a long week?" She thought he seemed a little distracted. He wasn't as cheery as he'd been when they'd met previously, and today he seemed to be giving rather evasive answers to her questions about the material they were covering. It seemed something was bothering him. Maybe the job search wasn't going well.

"Oh, you know. The usual. I'm…tutoring someone in the mornings. And it's rather frustrating because he's not very bright." He perked up slightly. "Thank goodness it's Friday! I gave him the weekend off."

"I did wonder what you were doing about a job now that the museum is gone."

_That's right. Normal people have to work_. "I always have several irons in the fire. I like to keep myself busy." He was really thinking over what Minion had said about Hal's training. Maybe he really was expecting too much of him all at once. Unthinkingly, he touched the bruise on his head again and grimaced.

Seeing him frowning again and ignoring the page in front of him, she gently asked once more, "Bernard, are you sure you're ok? You don't seem yourself."

_That's funny, Roxanne. If only you knew how much I'm not myself_. He tapped his forehead lightly. "It's just that I bumped my head. You see, ah…I'm learning to ride a bicycle. And I'm afraid it's not cooperating. I mean, I'm not very good at it yet." Deliberately placing his arms on the table, he made a determined effort to stop being distracted by his aching skull.

"Really? Only now? You never learned to ride as a kid?" Knowing a lot of grown men would probably be too self-conscious to admit they were learning to ride a bike as an adult, she was as impressed by his admission as she was surprised. Bernard was such a funny, intriguing mix of self-assurance and unconventionality.

"I had a rather sheltered childhood." The warden had refused to allow him to have any type of vehicle after he'd been coaxed by the inmates to use his Toddler Trike of Destruction to make a jailbreak. After that, anything he constructed that even closely resembled something to ride was confiscated immediately.

Roxanne smiled. For some reason, she could easily imagine Bernard having an unorthodox upbringing. It just seemed to fit in with the rest of his personality and quirks, such as how he always dressed in the same standard outfit. Despite the lack of variety in his wardrobe, he didn't appear to have poor hygiene, and if it weren't for an eccentric professor she'd known in college who always wore the same suit according to which day of the week it was, she would have made much more of it. "You ought to try riding at the park. There are some nice trails there."

"Oh no, I don't think I'm quite ready to take a spin in public yet."

"How bad could it be?"

His eyes grew wider. It could be very bad considering the 'bicycle' he was thinking of was Hal. "Uh, well… pretty bad. You see, I'm fairly certain my bicycle has a mind of its own. And not a good one at that. No matter what I do, it seems to want to roll over or run into things."

Roxanne giggled. "Oh, come on."

"No! Really! Look, the last time…" he began to relate to her the story of the morning's flight training with Hal filling in the place of the bicycle. "No matter what I told it to do, it wouldn't listen! I tried being as nice as I could. I explained over and over again what I expected." As he watched her laugh harder at his re-vamped tale and realized how ridiculous it sounded, he began laughing along with her. "…and eventually, we ended up crashing right through the middle of it! There was the stupid bike, lying on its side, wheels spinning! And I didn't feel sorry for it one bit! Once I'd picked myself up, I told it if it wasn't going to do what I told it, it could find its own way home!" _It does seem funny now_, he thought as he listened to her laughing out loud, _and that is a beautiful sound_. Seeing her enjoy the comical account so much, his spirits lifted from the acknowledgment that he had been able to make her happy. "Oh, that's such a funny story. And brilliantly told, by the way!" _If you only knew!_

"Bernard, I never knew you were so funny!"

"And…I've never heard you laugh before." _And I really hope I can make you do that again._

"Yeah. It's been a while." As she smiled at him and pushed aside the bangs that never seemed to stay where they should, he was delighted to realize it was a rather flirtatious gesture. "Feels pretty good." It was the first good laugh she'd had since Wayne's death. Suddenly feeling a little self-conscious, she held up her book and tried to refocus on what they were supposed to be doing.

Finding the noise level highly unacceptable, the same menacing librarian who'd hounded them before made her way with deliberate slowness toward their table, shooting them warning daggers with her piercing eyes while they pretended not to notice her. Once she'd passed by, they both peeked at each other over the edges of their books and snickered.

"You should come ride at the park with me tomorrow." Roxanne whispered. "I haven't been there in ages, and I could use the exercise anyway." Seeing his look of alarm, she reassured him, "Don't worry. I promise not to laugh. I taught my niece to ride when she came to stay with me last summer, and it's worth learning on the great trails there. It's been so long since I've ridden, who knows? You might end up laughing at me! So how about it?"

"Ah, ok…" _How I can pass up seeing her twice in two days? But what am I going to do about a bike?_ They made plans to meet and returned to searching for hidden facts in their respective books. Megamind couldn't help stealing another look at her. _I love the way she pushes that hair aside. It's so cute. I think she's genuinely attracted to…Bernard._ Suddenly his face fell as he realized his mistake. Roxanne found he was even more distracted for the rest of the hour than he'd been before.

* * *

><p>"Minion, do I own a bike?"<p>

"No. But you stole one. Don't you remember?" As soon as he'd taken it, he had confidently tried to ride the contraption around the open foyer of City Hall and ended up crashing into a pillar. It hadn't been an encouraging first attempt, and the bike was quietly set aside and forgotten.

"Yes, that's right," he answered rubbing his head absentmindedly. _I've been taking a lot of hits to the noggin lately. Maybe I should consider using a helmet_. _Yes, good idea. There's nothing remotely attractive about helmets._

"What do you want with a bike anyway?"

"Oh. Bernard needs some transportation."

"Why not just use that sporty little car you have stashed in the office?"

"A museum curator would hardly be driving around in a hot little sports car! And it's too recognizable. I'd be out in public with it and could run into the real owner and, looking like Bernard, they probably wouldn't hesitate to call the cops on me! Besides...I need a bicycle for a trip to the park."

"With Roxanne?"

"…yes."

"For 'research'?"

"Maintaining the established relationship between her and Bernard is part of the subterfuge, Min-ion," he answered haughtily.

"I guess…" He sounded unconvinced.

"So. Where's that bike?"

"Sir, I hate to sound like a mother fish, but…you're going to end up with another concussion!"

"I do plan to wear a helmet this time." Minion still looked doubtful. "Well, what else do you suggest? Set me up." _The nerdier, the better_. He was determined to make Bernard as unattractive as possible and work harder to make himself look good. Or was it bad? Things were becoming rather confusing.

* * *

><p>"You don't get out much, do you?"<p>

"Oh, what fun!" He hadn't needed to try very hard to appear uncoordinated and uncertain about riding at first. Once he got the hang of it though, he forgot his plan to undermine Bernard's charm in the joy of freewheeling through the park with Roxanne, zooming along the paths, laughing breathlessly at each other as they tried to see who could race up the hills fastest and then coasting down the other side at breakneck speeds. She was a confident rider and actually led him at an exhilarating clip once she sensed he'd gotten his balance and was keeping up well. They were having a great time when she braked to a stop ahead of him. He pulled up beside her and wondered why she was suddenly upset.

"I used to come here with my mother when I was a kid. It was one of my favorite things to do. Now look at it. It's a dump."

The sadness with which she looked over the park, trash scattered here and there, brought home to him how attached she was to Metro City. It was her home, she reported the news on it, and she cared about what was happening to it. _All right. I can do something about this, and Megamind will get the credit. And she's right. It looks pretty bad. Come to think of it, the streets have become fairly disgusting too. _He actually preferred order and tidiness himself. Allowing the city to fall into disrepair at first had simply been another way of asserting his e-vil reign over the populace, and there was the fact that the city's sanitation workers were now too afraid to go out during their usual overnight hours to do their jobs. He might just have to reinstate their pay and force them all back to work, under threat if necessary. He hadn't thought of how Roxanne might react to seeing her hometown trashed, but now he knew, and he would do something about it, if for no other reason than to make her happy. Briefly he wondered what the city officials would think of the unexpected clean up but decided it didn't matter.

* * *

><p>Minion was confused yet again. Here they were, secretly playing garbage men when Megamind had clearly said before that he didn't care if the trash piled up to the streetlights. What had changed his mind? Thinking maybe the direct approach was the best way to get an answer, he asked, "Why are we cleaning up the city, Sir?"<p>

"Well! We don't want to battle our new hero in a dump, now…do we?"

_I don't see why not. There's going to be a heck of a mess afterward anyway. Maybe the disorder is beginning to get on his nerves_. Megamind did prefer to keep the lair well organized. It was one of Minion's main tasks. With a slight shrug, he steered the spiderbot toward the next pile of trash and continued dehydrating, not noticing his boss's attention had become riveted to a certain window high above them in an adjacent building.

The lights were out in Roxanne's apartment. Would she be asleep already, curled up warm and safe in her bed? Hugging her pillow? _Lucky pillow_. It had only been a week since he saw her in the evil lair, but keeping up the Bernard deception made it seem much longer since he'd been able to be with her as himself. The desire to see her without the disguise became stronger as he gazed at her windows until he felt he would choke from trying to hold it back. Scowling, he decided it just wasn't the same being with her as Bernard. _I want to see her again...as me._ Removing his goggles and jumping lightly off the spiderbot, he strode back toward her building.

"You know, Sir, the battle with Titan is bound to be a rather destructive event. I know Metro Man was always careful to make as little mess as possible around the city during your fights, but do you really think Hal's going to have that same consideration? Maybe we should start to clue him in to the idea that the hero has to watch out for the public interest, as far as the observers and public safety and being mindful of protecting the integrity of the city's infrastructure even in the heat of battle." The idea would take some getting used to for Hal, considering he still tended to destroy everything in sight in his attempts to reach his goal. At least Minion had been able to convince him to stop utterly ripping apart the video game training set during each and every session. He was starting to run out of I-beams. "Space Step-Mom could have a little talk with him. You know, give it a womanly perspective about having concern for others. What do you think? Sir? Sir?" He turned and noticed Megamind was gone. "Oh, that's hardly surprising. Leave _me_ with the cleaning up!" Sullen, he blasted away at the trash vehemently.

* * *

><p>Roxanne stared through the dark toward the ceiling. She'd hoped getting some exercise at the park with Bernard would ensure her a better night's rest, but as usual lately, she lay wide awake, wishing sleep would come and relieve her overactive mind. She thought about Bernard. Meeting him in the park, he seemed more than ever the backward, introverted curator she expected him to be. But, as he relaxed and became more confident during the ride, his personality once again blossomed into that enthusiastic person who made her laugh and could carry on a more interesting conversation than most of the people she knew. After she'd pointed out the littered state of the park, they'd had a rather convoluted conversation.<p>

"I suppose Megamind doesn't care if the city falls into ruins," she'd mentioned despondently as they got off their bikes and pushed them along slowly through the more cluttered area up ahead.

"Oh, I don't know," Bernard had countered. "You saw his hideout. It didn't look like it belonged to someone who's slovenly by nature. I suspect he actually prefers orderliness."

"Maybe." Someone with such well coordinated thinking as to make up the card structure she saw was likely to want the space around him organized as well. Gesturing at the mess, she asked, "So you'd say he let all this happen, because...?"

"Well, it fits in with the idea of being an Evil Overlord, don't you think? I mean, one can hardly terrorize a city properly and still make sure the trash gets picked up every Tuesday. Much 'badder' to let the place get seedy, isn't it?"

She laughed. "You sound like you're defending his decison."

"Oh! Not really. I just, you know, think that if someone's decided to rule evilly, they probably want to do it right."

"So, would you agree with me that he might be playing a role? Because that's part of my premise for the research I'm doing. What is Megamind really like? I think there's a disconnect between the state of his lair and what he's allowing to happen to the city, just like the difference between the gun I told you about and his other devices that are all spiked and too obviously evil-looking. He puts on a good show for the public, but I want to know who's underneath all that." And then there's the card, she thought, not yet ready to explain about that to Bernard. It had too much personal meaning for her. She had finally told him about noticing the de-gun's unique artistry while they last met at the library, but oddly he hadn't made much of it. She found it fascinating and yet Bernard, the expert, practically ignored it when she brought it up.

"Playing a role?" He frowned in consternation, feeling backed into a corner. "Roxanne, he's spent years being the villain. Do you really believe it's only been an act all that time? He's put up with an awful lot of punishment just to play a part, if that's the case." _And I have, but that's what destiny has provided for me_, he thought ruefully. "No, I'm afraid I have to believe he's truly evil and enjoys it."

_It's almost like he was trying to argue both sides at once. He's saying Megamind's essentially an organized person who has let the city go to pot in order to rule the way he thinks an evil person should, and yet he claims he believes he really is evil at heart. That doesn't seem right. _Roxanne's eyes closed briefly, and Megamind's angular blue face appeared clearly in her thoughts, smiling mysteriously. _I wonder what he's up to. What's the next plan? It's not at all like him to sit idly. He's got to be working on something._ Tempted to get up and continue trying to arrange the photographs she'd taken at the lair since she couldn't sleep anyway, something made her pause just before reaching out to switch on her lamp. Had she heard a soft rustle or was she imagining things? Heart pounding, she closed her eyes and kept as still as possible, pretending to be asleep. It was only because she thought she knew who the intruder might be that she didn't leap from her bed and go for her baseball bat. Ears straining, the nearly palpable silence remained unbroken for so long she began to relax and fell asleep.

Megamind stood just outside the door to her bedroom, listening and waiting. Just as he had been about to walk in, he suddenly heard her sigh and shift on her bed. She was still awake, and he almost decided to leave, but waiting paid off. Her breathing became slower and steadier. When he felt certain she must be asleep, he cautiously entered the room and looked down at her. Smiling with a deep sense of satisfaction at seeing her peacefully resting, one slender arm curled near her head, he felt irresistibly drawn to move closer, feeling his pulse quicken. _Absolutely lovely._ He sighed. _What would it be like to sleep beside her? Am I ever going to be able to end this charade and make her understand what she means to me?_ Thinking about Bernard and how easily he could spend time with this woman who continued to question who Megamind really was, he shook his head. _I actually feel jealous of myself. That's twisted._ Hovering over her longingly, he couldn't stop himself reaching to brush the hair back from her brow. He froze as her eyes opened sleepily. Instead of the alarmed cry he expected to hear, she simply looked at him for a moment and murmured, "Megamind..."

_Was she expecting me?_ After a moment's hesitation, he stroked her cheek, smooth and pale in the dim light of the room. His gloves were light enough he could almost feel her skin through them, but he wished he'd had the forethought to take them off instead. She closed her eyes and sighed when he touched her. Then he heard her ask, "What are you doing here?"

_What _am_ I doing here? Tell her the truth_. "I miss you," he whispered.

Roxanne had thought at first she might be dreaming. She'd had dreams similar to this before, but they usually progressed into other sequences that caused her face to grow hot when she remembered them in the morning. When he said he missed her and she caught that familiar leathery scent, she realized he was really there. She opened her eyes again. "What do you want, Megamind?" Unsure of what she wanted herself, she gladly let him continue to slowly caress her face, watching her silently, more gentle than she would have thought someone who claimed to be a black-hearted villain could be. She was remembering the last time he'd touched her that way, and her heart raced. There was no rope to hold her back this time.

_Oh, Roxanne…I want you to be mine. I want to stop being Bernard_. He leaned still closer to her, thinking about the day Metro Man died and how she had willingly kissed him then. She was watching him so calmly, her glance moving from his eyes to his mouth, he felt she must know what he wanted. His blue nose was almost bumping her pale freckled one now. "I…I want your consent," he breathed as his fingers slid closer to her hair and he turned his face slightly, ready to press his lips to hers if she would allow it.

Even though part of her desperately wanted to say yes and close the gap between them, she felt torn. Making herself look in his eyes instead of at his mouth, she replied, "And I want the truth. Evil doesn't wait for permission. It _takes_ what it wants." He grew very still, and she pressed on gently, "I thought you said you were evil."

He stood up, heart twisting in his chest. Was that a challenge or a rebuke? He felt the same consternation she'd elicited in him at the park overshadow the almost overwhelming desire he had to taste her kisses again. "I am," he told her, stepping back from the bed. "But not like that." Turning on his heel, he left.

Roxanne sat up quickly, the words to call him back just on the tip of her tongue, caught there by her uncertainty. _What do I really want from him? Augh! He's just as confused as I am, and I'm so tired of it! _Noticing her fists clenched around the comforter, she forced them open and with a heavy-hearted sigh put her head in her hands. _Oh, what am I doing? He's never going to say he's anything other than a villain. Could I ever really be with him? We can't just… can we? Why am I so attracted to someone who keeps telling me he's evil at heart? _Fighting back tears of frustration, she swallowed hard and lay down again, clutching her pillow in a desperate hug. As her eyes closed, she could still feel his caresses, and regret furrowed her brow even as she fell asleep.

* * *

><p><strong><em>A funny thing...I really did know an eccentric mathematics teacher (incredibly intelligent man; very high IQ) who had one suit for each day of the week. They were different colors but the same style, and he kept them in strict rotation. One of my classmates made a secret wardrobe log where he recorded what our eccentric professor wore each day. He said the man never waivered. lol I wonder what he wore on the weekends?<em>**

**_Hope you like this chapter! Mommy2caitlyn was as always such a help to me in suggestions, editing, and encouragement. :)_**

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><p><strong><em>I feel the need to disclaimer here (again). I do not own Megamind, Donkey Kong, or any other registered trademark. I make exactly zero money from writing. Do not come after me, people! There is nothing to take anyway! Thanks.<em>**


	12. Coffeeshop Conversation

It was bound to happen sooner or later. They'd been not very quietly chortling over another unlikely theory from the book Megamind's War when the iron-fisted librarian finally caught up with them, suddenly materializing beside their table like some kind of terrifying wraith and startling them both. "The _library_ is a place for _quiet_, _serious_-minded people. Maybe you two love-birds should consider meeting up for your canoodling in _another_ location," she suggested nastily, glaring over them as her fingernails tapped the table.

They gathered up their things along with their dignity and walked toward the exit while she looked on with a castigating eye. Just as they got to the double doors, Bernard turned around and, squinting, sighted along his thumb back at the sour-faced woman who was watching them leave.

"What are you doing?" Roxanne asked, as she waited for him.

"Just wondering what she'd look like with a toothbrush mustache," he commented, making Roxanne snort and splutter. "What? You don't see the resemblance?" he asked as she laughed and pushed him out the door.

They walked along with arms full of books, and he mentioned the librarian's parting words. "Love-birds? Canoodling? Is that what it really looked like we were doing back there?"

Roxanne colored slightly, "I don't think so."

"Considering that she appears not to have enjoyed herself for a good long time, she's probably insanely jealous of anyone who looks happy," he commented, bumping her shoulder companionably. "Or maybe she's just insane."

"I think if you look up 'evil' in the dictionary, you're more likely to find her face next to it rather than Megamind's." Roxanne snickered. "But I suppose we did seem rather immature, constantly disturbing the peace."

"Well, if being mature means not being able to enjoy your company while we work, I think I'd rather avoid the library altogether. There's a coffee shop just around the corner," he offered. "I hear people are allowed to actually smile in there."

It was one of the few shops that had stayed open in the wake of Megamind's takeover of the city. What Roxanne didn't know was that Tony, the owner, was confident the Evil Overlord would spare the coffee house that secretly supplied him with his daily brew from being vandalized. She grinned at him. "I know the place. Sure, let's go."

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><p>The waiter set down their cups just as Roxanne was pointing out, "Page 136. He seems to be suggesting that Megamind's alien genetics are responsible for his criminal tendencies. Now, I've also read theories that the social standards of his people being unlike and opposed to ours could be to blame for his drive to commit crime and do wrong, at least according to our code of acceptable conduct. Now, socially? I can't see that because we know he came to earth as an infant. How much social influence would his family or culture been able to have on him before he left his planet? At what, did you say?"<p>

"Eight days old." He still couldn't remember exactly how she'd gotten him to tell her that. How could people speculate on his genetics and home planet when they knew absolutely nothing about them? It made him a little angry to hear his home and heritage disrespected so casually.

Roxanne raised an eyebrow watching him add liberal amounts of sugar to his coffee. _Guess he has a sweet tooth_. "As to the genetic aspect…what do you think of that?" She already knew her own view of it, but she wanted to hear what Bernard's opinion was.

"What it comes down to is the question of whether criminals are born bad, on earth or anywhere else. Personally, I'm not sure." His parents had said he was destined for something and so far being a super villain fit the bill pretty well.

"Really? Seems pretty clear cut to me. Have you ever met an evil infant?"

He had to admit even he hadn't been purposefully wicked as a baby. "Fate does seem to choose people to play the role of good or evil, don't you think?"

"No. I don't believe anyone is simply fated to be evil and has no choice in the matter. I really believe what we become is mostly a product of how we choose to react to the circumstances of our life."

"Not everyone is given the same chances or the same challenges as others though. Don't you think there's at least an element of destiny in what happens in a person's life and how they're steered toward what they become?"

Roxanne sipped her coffee thoughtfully before answering. "I suppose in a way. It's true that some people have more difficulties in life to contend with than others. So it begs the question. Are people whose lives are more challenging, more beset by troubles, essentially forced to turn to a life of crime? Sadly, I guess it seems to happen that way far too often. And yet, there are people who refuse to give in to those kinds of pressures, who persist in rising above the things that drag others down. Don't they actually end up greater than those who have more advantages in life? Think of Helen Keller, Steven Hawking, any number of people who face seemingly unbearable obstacles and by rising above them, shine brighter than the rest of us."

Megamind looked away and fiddled with Bernard's glasses. He was uncomfortable with this whole conversation. Realizing that Roxanne was still looking for a reason to believe in some inherent goodness he might have and why he might have chosen the side he ended up on, he hoped he could convince her that it was simply his destiny to be the villain in the cosmic game of good versus evil. He found her line of reasoning confused his convictions. There was simply no way he could have been a hero. Everyone was against him. The very way he looked was against him, at least on this planet. He even had to hide the way he looked to spend time with her, the least judgmental person he knew. "Here's another idea to consider: the whole yin-yang philosophy. Doesn't light need darkness? If evil didn't exist, what would good actually be?"

Roxanne gazed at him for a long moment, thinking. "That almost makes evil sound necessary."

"Exactly!" He slapped a hand triumphantly on the table, making the spoons rattle.

"Bernard, that's disturbing."

He became more animated, his eyes intense. "What would Metro Man have been without Megamind? Good needs evil to fight against! And look at Megamind now. He's at a loss. He hasn't been seen in weeks. He has no purpose!"

"I know." Roxanne frowned, thinking about her former captor and all the cards she'd photographed hanging from his ceiling. "He must be up to something, but I wonder sometimes what he's thinking now that no one will stand up to him. I doubt he's satisfied with simply sitting on the city, doing nothing."

"No, he's not." Megamind sighed despondently and then straightened up and corrected himself, "That's what I think. Evil needs good as well. Left to run unchecked, it just becomes…pointless."

"You're quite a philosopher, Bernard." Setting down her coffee, she regarded him for a moment with an amicable smile. "Whether we agree or not, I have to say I really enjoy having these discussions with you. It seems like forever that I've been able to have a serious conversation with someone and enjoyed it this much."

The sincerity of her words was reflected in her blue eyes, and the tension he'd been feeling melted away as he looked at her fondly. "I've really enjoyed talking with you as well. Thank you for asking me to help you with your research."

"I honestly didn't think you would at first! But I'm glad you changed your mind. Obviously you've thought about this quite a lot."

"Oh, well. Maybe it just comes with the territory, being the expert and all."

"I wonder if Megamind has come to any of these same conclusions, especially with all the changes in his life lately. And if he has, what is he going to do?"

_Of course I have. I've been wondering that almost since the day Metro Man died_. "He needs to find a way to continue fulfilling the purpose of his life." Fearing he'd as much as told her exactly what he was going to do, he looked up to see if she caught on. Luckily she was thinking of something else.

"How can someone's whole purpose be to oppose good though?" she demanded. "We're back at the beginning! I just don't believe Megamind, or anyone else, was made to be evil. I think he simply wants to continue playing the role that for some reason he thinks he's supposed to fill. He's never done anything else."

_Never done anything else?_ Thinking about his painful school days, trying to fit in and win his classmates' affection, hoping they'd see past his appearance and be his friend, he fiddled with his napkin and quietly said, "Maybe he has, and it didn't work out."

The somber tone of his voice made her glance at him sharply, and he looked back at her, rueful of his words as soon as he'd said them. "You say that like you know it's true. And if you know it's true, then you know he hasn't always been bad. You know-"

"Oh, I don't know anything!" Suddenly irritated again, he didn't want to continue this argument where he seemed to be making no headway. She was so stubborn! He admired her tenacity, but it was wearing him down. "He says he's evil, and I believe it. The end. I don't understand why you don't as well. You've been kidnapped by him over and over, seen him destroy the hero, watched him let the city fall apart...He's no good, Roxanne!"

"Bernard," she appealed to him and sighed. "I've seen another side of him. Starting with his favorite weapon. And even though it's a weapon, it's beautiful! It's a work of art not the work of a thug. They say you can understand an artist through his work and-"

"That's only one small device he uses. What about everything else? The bulk of his equipment is far different."

"All for show," she said dismissively, distracted by thoughts of what else she privately knew.

"You've decided that just from seeing one pistol?" He watched her face cloud over as her thoughts turned inward.

"No...not just from that." She paused and added quietly, almost to herself, "There was a card…" Completely lost in thought, even forgetting Bernard just across the table from her, she remembered the card, the kisses, the visit he'd paid her a few nights previously. _I am…but not like that_.

_Yes, that card started a lot of this trouble_. He had to admit it also had brought her closer to him than he'd ever thought she would be. He knew exactly where the card was, but it would never be used again. Then there was the night he'd come to see her._ There's no way I could treat her the way she suggested, even to make my point. _He could still clearly remember the hurt in her eyes after he'd kissed her the day Wayne died. Yes, her subsequent response had been promising, but he felt deeply now that he should never have done it, and he never would again. _It's the only part of me that I know she's right about. But, that doesn't change my destiny._

As she sat silently staring, her usually placid expression drawn and uncertain, he knew she was thinking of him_. I wish I could just tell you who it is under this disguise and explain everything. We're enjoying each other's company so much. _He reached across the table and covered her hand with his. _I'm right here, Roxanne_.

Feeling his hand slide against her own, she looked up and saw Bernard watching her, his green eyes dark and solemn. The corner of her mouth lifted in a smile. "Sorry. I guess I got caught up in my thoughts for a second. I didn't mean to check out like that." Just as she was about to begin telling him about the filigree on the card, she stopped and looked puzzled. "Do you smell that?"

"What?"

She looked around them at the other patrons nearby. "I smell…leather."

It took a second for him to understand what she was talking about. His eyes widened._ The gloves!_ Slowly he withdrew his hand from hers and crossed his arms. "No, no," he answered as casually as possible. "I don't smell anything." _I forgot myself again._ _Bernard isn't supposed to be the one reassuring her._

"Just for a second, I caught…oh well. Never mind."_ I am thinking about him way too much. Am I going to spend my time obsessing over a relationship that probably doesn't even have a chance? _She looked at Bernard who smiled at her before clearing his throat and looking into his cup to see if he had any coffee left. She had to admit she felt pleased that he had reached out to her._ He certainly isn't the forward type, but that was kind of him. He could see I was upset_. _This is most normal guy in my life right now, and yet, there's nothing typical about him either. Face it, Roxanne. You're not fated to be with typical men. At least Bernard isn't an alien or an outlaw_. "Hey, I noticed some of the trash has been picked up lately! Another point in my favor."

"Maybe Megamind heard you were unhappy about the park."

She laughed. "Yeah, and who told him? You?"

Looking mysterious, he simply smiled.

"Bernard!"

"Now, now! We're both keeping some things to ourselves, aren't we?"

Narrowing her eyes at him, she leaned closer. "Reporters are good at ferreting out people's secrets, you know. That's my job." Sitting back again, she looked at him smugly. "Just warning you."

He grinned at her. "We shall see, Ms Ritchie!"

"Well! However it came about, I'm glad to see the streets being cleaned up again. I might have to track down the director of the sanitation department and see if she knows anything about it. And even if it was Megamind, I doubt he did it just for me! You even agreed he's orderly. Maybe the mess was finally just becoming too much to bear anymore." She sighed. "Now if we could only get him to put the art museum back together. But I'd imagine he's sold the most valuable pieces already."

He cleared his throat thinking of the paintings he had stashed in City Hall_._ "I wasn't aware there was a problem with the art museum."

She raised an eyebrow at him. "It's been nearly gutted. You haven't seen it? I'm surprised. You seem like a person who would appreciate fine art."

"Oh, I do. In fact, I have a…small cubist collection of my own." Hiding a smile behind his hand, he coughed slightly to stifle a chuckle. "I just don't get over there very often. Maybe we should go look through it and see if we can figure out specifically what's missing. If the paintings have been sold, those that are well-known should be able to be tracked down again fairly easily at least."

"That's true." _It would make a great news story too if we could find them again_. "All right. When would you like to go?"

* * *

><p>"Well, how is she? Still trying to figure out your plan?" Minion watched his friend searching his room, muttering to himself. "Sir, can I help you find something?"<p>

Triumphantly, he held up the object of his search in one blue hand. "Ah ha! Found it!"

"Cologne?" Perplexed the fish wondered what this meant. Megamind never wore cologne. They had stumbled across this particular scent by accident while googling something and got such a laugh out of the bottle, he'd ordered some as a joke. Nervously, he wondered if his boss actually meant to start wearing the stuff…for Ms Ritchie?

"Yes! This will actually come in quite handy, Minion."

"Eh…you want to clue me in as to why?"

"Because, leather always smells distinctly like _leather_."

Now he was really confused. "You lost me."

Rolling his eyes, Megamind turned to his sidekick. "She noticed Bernard smells of leather. But he doesn't wear it. I do! I need some olfactory camoflague."

"Oh! I get it…I think." Actually, he wasn't sure he bought that story. Megamind was beginning to focus more on his time with Roxanne than he did on Hal's training. Lately he spent most of the morning texting her while Minion worked nearly solo with the super-endowed bone-head. And Minion hadn't been able to get his opinion on the new cape design enough to as much as start on it yet. "Sir, if she's beginning to put two and two together…you may want to end these meetings before she finds you out. I don't think she's going to be very happy about the deception."

He was sniffing the cologne curiously and answered out of hand, "Oh, don't be such a spineless jellyfish, Minion. She has no idea."

_Well, if she ever does, she's going to be pissed and he can kiss all his fond daydreams goodbye_. "How are your schematics coming along for the new battle suit, Sir?" he asked meaningfully.

Megamind stopped and turned to look at his sidekick. "All right, Minion. You've made your point. I'll get to work on it tonight."

_It's about time too_, Minion grumped.

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><p>Roxanne stood in her living room, photographs spread on the floor at her feet. When she'd first gotten them developed and looked at what she had, she almost gave up on the idea of ever being able to sort Megamind's puzzling plan out. Some of the cards had next to nothing on them, and the others were far beyond her understanding. Looking at them one at a time, they made no sense. Instinctively, she understood the proximity of the cards to each other had much to do with the meaning of the whole, and she finally decided she had to start there. However the photographs were flat, and the card structure had hung upright in three dimensions. Then she realized if she used the photos in which she'd managed to capture several cards and note the relationship of each one to another, she could figure out where they should be placed.<p>

She had blown up as many individual cards as she could identify at first, but as she began to examine the far shots more closely, she kept finding more pieces missing from her collection. Finally she realized it was partly because they had twisted slightly as they hung, so sometimes one or another had been caught turned side on and had to be identified by a different photograph. Other cards were partially or completely obscured by another piece of paper in front of them. Tonight she thought she was finally ready to begin hanging them. _And then I still won't have any idea what this all means. I need to have someone look at this with me._ She thought of Bernard. He wasn't a genius, but maybe he was more familiar with how Megamind worked and could help in some way. _How do I know he's not a genius? That whole wardrobe thing…I've only ever heard of people with a high IQ or savants doing that. Ok, or slobs. But he's obviously not a slob. It doesn't really matter. He has a lot more to recommend him than his limited fashion sense._

As she picked up the photograph of the card she felt most confident about placing first, she paused, examining it closely, and thought about the hands that wrote the equations she saw there. Those hands had tied her up and grabbed her face to force a kiss on her lips. Those same hands had stroked her cheek so gently a few nights ago and refused to do anything more than that. _I can't remember ever having seen his hands without the gloves. _Briefly she wished he would have taken them off, and then shaking her head, she pulled out a length of string, taped it to the card, and hung it up.

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><p><em>With folded arms and a scowl of disapproval, the librarian stood watching her dangle over the alligator pit, her mouth as tight and severe as her bun. "Lovebirds..." she muttered. Roxanne frowned at her. What a nasty piece of work that woman was! And why did she insist on calling them lovebirds? She wasn't in love with him... Suddenly it wasn't the librarian standing there anymore. It was Bernard. With a disarming smile, he reached across the distance to stroke her cheek. "Roxanne, you're still not getting it," he scolded, his green eyes sparkling. "...I told you he was evil." His smile tugged at her heart, but his words irritated her, making her struggle against the ropes. She wanted to argue with him, but now she was all alone. She looked below herself into the pit and saw it filled with hundreds of photographs. They were leaping up over and over. Her heart began to pound as they got closer and closer to her feet...<em>

She woke with a start, eyes wide in the dark. Something, some sound, had awakened her. This time she wasn't going to pretend to be asleep. Throwing back the covers, she jumped out of bed and grabbed her robe, pulling it on quickly. "Megamind?" she called as she walked out of her bedroom. There was no answer. She stopped when she reached the living room. The cards she'd carefully hung before going to bed were twisting on their strings.

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><p><em><strong>Another silly aside, lovely readers and movie fans: A cologne is mentioned during the argument Minion and Megamind. In the movie Minion calls it "Jean Paul Gaultier...Pour Homme". In real life, the fragrance is called "Jean Paul Gaultier, Le Male". Curious as to why our <strong>__slightly__** egomaniacal blue alien might choose that particular scent? You might understand if you go check out the bottle of JPG Le Male aftershave at Amazon dot com. *wink wink* Remind you of anyone? lol**_


	13. Art Museum Musings

A familiar figure waved at her as she stepped out of the news van and walked up to the Scott Museum of Fine Art. "Bernard! You're here early!"

"When you told me it had been nearly gutted, it piqued my curiosity, and I just had to come down and have a look." He stopped, obviously trying to decide how to tell her something. "But, um…there's something you need to see in there."

Alarmed, Roxanne demanded, "What? What happened?" Had Megamind come back to do even more damage? His plundering of the art collection donated by the Scott family had made her furious, suspecting that he'd done it mostly to rub in his rival's defeat. Could he and Minion have decided to create some street-style artwork of their own inside? They'd gone a little overboard with the blue graffiti plastered all over everything that first week, and since he took over the city, no one bothered managing the museum or visiting it, so she almost hated to find out what else he'd done to the place.

"It's... well, I think you'll be pleasantly surprised," he assured her, holding open the door that sported a sign stating 'No Trespassing/Property of Megamind, Evil Overlord' with a skull and crossbones. As they walked into the empty lobby, he suggested, "I know! Why don't you close your eyes?"

_Pleasantly surprised?_ She decided to play along, although she wondered what could he have possibly found that would make him this enthusiastic. He certainly was loosening up lately, and she couldn't help noticing how sweet he looked when he tried to hide his smile and didn't quite manage it, the way he was now. "All right. I'm trusting you." Closing her eyes, she warned, "Don't let me run into anything!"

As he took her elbow and gently led her forward, a guiding hand at her back as well, Roxanne could hear the smile in his voice. "As if I would."

Megamind couldn't wait to see her reaction. He'd had to satisfy his disgruntled sidekick by working on the plans for the battle suit and discussing numerous design ideas for his new evil cape for the past couple evenings. Then he'd waited for the fish to power down for the night and snuck out with only a few of the more reliable brainbots to begin replacing the museum's contents. Even working several hours each time, it had taken both nights between when he had sat in the coffee shop with Roxanne and heard her wish the art museum might be restored and today to clean the exhibits that had been touched up with their blue paint, put everything back, and make sure the lighting over each piece was working. The lack of sleep was catching up with him, and while busy with Hal this morning, he'd had to rely on the brainbots to finish putting up the last few paintings just before Roxanne arrived. He didn't even want to think about what Minion was going to say when he noticed all the sculptures were missing from the foyer of City Hall where they'd been in use as mannequins to display his "Capes of Terror" collection.

"Don't peek..." Desperately hoping the cologne would hide the scent of his gloves, he placed his hands over her eyes as they reached the first wing and bit his lip in anticipation. Everything looked ready, and the brainbots were nowhere in sight.

Feeling his hands lightly cover her eyes, she smiled. He was really excited about this. It must be something good. Maybe he had managed to track down one of the major paintings on his own over the weekend and had even gotten it back somehow. That would be impressively fast work. Feeling him stop, his hands lifted, and she opened her eyes. Her jaw dropped. "They're back!" she gasped. "They're all back! But…how? Why!" She looked around, stunned to see the every bare spot on the walls had been filled again.

"Maybe Megamind isn't so bad after all," he proposed with a mysterious smile. She turned and gaped at him. There was no way Bernard could have found all of it, but why would Megamind have done this?

Her reaction couldn't have been better. Delighted, he watched her turn around in astonishment again, unable to believe her eyes. It had been worth the extra work and lack of sleep to put this look on her face. None of his kidnappings or evil plans had ever been able to catch her off guard so satisfyingly!

"I can't believe it... Oh! It's here too! This is one of my favorites," she told him, motioning to a large framed acrylic. He followed her over to it and sat next to her on a bench conveniently placed nearby. The abstract was mildly interesting to him, but he could have sat there all day watching her reaction to the restored museum.

"I love this piece. What does it say to you?" she asked, staring up at the exhibit.

With an effort, he stopped looking at her and examined the painting instead. He frowned. "Er. Well…I have to admit, it looks mostly like a jumble. What is it supposed to be?"

"You're not used to looking at abstracts, I take it. Don't try to force it to make sense or to look _like_ something. Just let your eyes wander over it. Think about how it makes you feel. The small details may leap out at you first, or the colors, or it may mean more to you as a whole. Just…look."

He hadn't realized she had such a deep appreciation of art. The sound of her voice as she coaxed him to study this thing she obviously enjoyed so much made him even happier he'd put everything back. Minion would just have to deal with the loss of his marble dressmaker's dummies. Tilting his head, he tried to let the strange artwork speak to him the way she'd suggested. So far he was getting nothing out of it, and he realized he was too tired to try very hard right now. At least she was pleased with what he'd done. Hearing her sigh contentedly, he looked over and did a double take. _Ah, now there are some interesting details._ In fact, they were riveting. The way the edge of her ear peeked out from her brown hair made it look like porcelain. That shadowed hollow at the base of her smooth neck…he could almost see her pulse there. His hand itched to reach over and try to feel it under his fingertips. What sort of nose did she have? Pert, playful maybe? And the firm little curve at the corner of her mouth. He'd kissed her before, but just now he really wanted to let his lips explore that one small spot. If he was given the opportunity again, he would. _I would give a lot to have that opportunity again_. He knew his mind was wandering, but since she was still focused on the painting, he let himself relax and enjoy what _he_ liked looking at most.

"A lot of people tend to avoid abstracts, and they don't realize they miss so much." She shrugged slightly. "I guess I find it rewarding to take your time with them. You discover an entirely new way of seeing things. It can tell you a lot about yourself." She finally looked over at him. "Modern art is like that."

_Her eyes are so blue._ "So is love."He became very still as his eyes slowly widened. _Whoa. Did I just say that out loud?_

Roxanne could see that he was as surprised at what he'd just said as she was. He seemed to be embarrassed, but she felt a warm flush of pleasure at his rather telling observation. And besides that, she agreed. "I think you're right."

He cleared his throat. "So! What does this say to you?" He looked at the painting and blinked a few times, trying to clear his head. _Yes, I learned something about myself. Apparently being Bernard gives me a horrible case of foot-in-mouth disease!_ He wondered if the disguise generator would pick up his blushing and display the hard-light projection of Bernard that way as well.

_Being flustered just makes him more attractive for some reason._ Not wanting to embarrass him further and discourage him, she tried not to grin and looked back at the painting. "Well, I've sat and looked at this piece so many times I know what my answer is. I was hoping you'd tell me what you think so your own impression isn't tainted by hearing mine first."

"Oh! Makes sense. Um…" Trying to relax and let the painting unfold meaningfully for him was pretty much hopeless now. He said the first thing that came to mind. "I hate to say it, but it looks like a conflict to me. A struggle of some kind. This part makes me think of smoke and heat." He pointed at a corner. "And that. That looks like…confusion."He wasn't sure how something could look like confusion, but now that he'd said it, it actually did.

"Wow, Bernard. You certainly got the idea of what I was talking about."

"Ok, so now tell me what you think of it."

She smiled wryly. "You might be surprised. Remember when we were talking in the coffee shop about light and dark, good and evil needing each other? Yin-yang? Actually, that was what _you_ said, and it made me think of this piece because that's exactly what this is about to me. I didn't think I'd ever get to see it again. The artist has shown light and dark totally opposed here, and yet in some way this painting makes me see how one arises from the other."

For a few moments they sat and stared at the exhibit silently. Roxanne commented, "Isn't it amazing how two people can look at the same thing and see it in completely different ways?" When he didn't respond, she looked over at him and realized he was looking at her intently.

"Yes, it is."

She didn't know what the enigmatic expression on his face meant. It seemed as though he wanted to say something and just didn't quite know how. Instead he asked, "Would you like to walk around and see the rest of the collection?"

"Absolutely! Let's go." They stood and strolled along together, footsteps echoing through the wide, empty corridors. As far as she could see, everything had been returned. "All right," she eventually asked, "how did you do it?"

Misunderstanding, Megamind started slightly at her assumption. "Um. I didn't do this."

"I mean, how did you convince Megamind to bring everything back?"

"You think it was_ me _that convinced him?"

"Well, how else did it happen? I mean, just a couple days ago you and I were talking about it, and now here it all is. I know _I_ didn't tell him to restore the museum."

"Maybe he's been watching you," he suggested as a possibility. "That wouldn't be very unlikely, would it? He might have overheard us?"

_Considering he's been sneaking into my apartment at night._ "No, that's not exactly unlikely." _What does he make of all this time I keep spending with Bernard then?_ She looked around again at the cleaned and rehung artwork and then at Bernard with playfully exaggerated suspicion. "Are you _sure_ you didn't have anything to do with it?"

He laughed nervously and adjusted his glasses. "You can believe what you like, but I think you're giving me way too much credit!"

_Ah, but he didn't say 'no'_, Roxanne realized, her reporter skills coming into play. _Is he just modest or still trying to convince me they don't know each other?_ She clasped her hands behind her back and smiled. "On the other hand, this is a distinctly 'good' thing to do. So if you're going to give Megamind all the credit for it, you're kind of shooting yourself in the foot as far as your claim that he's truly evil."

He opened his mouth to argue but then closed it again._ I can't win! Either Bernard gets the credit, or I look less bad_. He slouched a bit. "Touché." Then he added, with a sideways glance at her. "Maybe he has a slight weakness when it comes to you."

Roxanne laughed. "You think so?" Maybe he did_._ With everything that had happened, it seemed ages ago that Megamind had admitted she was special to him. _And then that night he said he missed me. Was that really what made him do all this? The only other person involved is Bernard._ She felt sure now more than ever that Bernard knew the blue outlaw personally. _How would he have persuaded him? And cleaning up the city too? Was it by saying I'd like it? Maybe he has something on our Evil Overlord. That would be a coup in itself. He's obviously not afraid to be seen with me. _Other men had been. She felt quite impressed with the unassuming man at her side.

Megamind thought about his 'weakness' toward Roxanne. Or was it a strength? Wanting to please her seemed to give him the courage do things he wouldn't have before. Long ago anything good he'd tried to do had backfired on him, caused him to look foolish, angered people around him, and earned him nothing but punishment. Suddenly her hand was slipping onto his arm near his elbow. They smiled at each other, and he felt a swell of happiness. _Definitely a weakness._ But he was still Bernard, and he was forging a relationship with Roxanne as Bernard whether he wanted to or not. Frowning to himself, he wondered for the millionth time how he could possibly end this and still keep her.

"So…how can we continue to convince him that he doesn't have to be evil and can choose to do good if he wants?"

"Ah ha! Well, good luck with that!"

Roxanne looked at him. _Seems to me you have had good luck with that_.

* * *

><p>Minion finished the bead he was welding with a satisfied grin. "I have to admit, Sir, this is turning out even better than I thought it would!"<p>

"Of course! This thing is _awesome_!" a disembodied voice called out from the interior of the battle suit. Megamind's blue head appeared from an open panel. "You really should stop doubting me."

"Yeah, yeah." Minion climbed down from his perch near the arm and retrieved another set of welding rods. "Hal seems to finally be starting to get the hang of things too."

"He's coming along. Although he has a rather disturbing lack of concentration at times. How can he actually forget what he's capable of?"

Minion paused before pulling down the welding shield over his dome. "He's only had these powers for a couple weeks now and prior to this he was a rather, um, _ungainly_ person, you recall. I imagine flying and laser vision would take some getting used to. It's not as though he was born with his powers like you-know-who."

"I suppose." They worked in companionable silence for a while, brainbots hovering helpfully nearby. Megamind crawled out of the hatch he'd been working in and tossed a wrench at an eager cyborg who caught it mid-air. "I can't help thinking the man was born without a witty bone in his body though. Absolutely no ability to banter. No creativity!" He sighed, disappointed at his creation's fault. He and Metro Man's vocal exchanges had been half the fun of each match.

"Well, maybe being on display in the public eye and the heat of battle will spark something in him," Minion suggested.

"You really think?" he asked hopefully and yawned.

"Eh…."

"Yeah. Me too."

The giant battle suit was nearing completion and the new outfit was well underway. Minion couldn't help noticing his friend was more tired than usual these days, and although he hadn't mentioned it, he was acutely aware of some of their ill-gotten gain having gone missing from City Hall. Worriedly, he wondered how much longer it would be before Ms Ritchie caught on to Megamind's game. But he knew if he voiced any objections, he would be met with an oblivious stare or snarky advice to mind his own business. Well, it couldn't be helped. It was his job to take care of the big-headed blue wonder, and to make sure they stayed on course and avoided pitfalls. And this Bernard thing looked more and more like a pitfall looming. He had a very bad feeling about it despite his own regard for Ms Ritchie. Reluctantly he turned off the welder and lifted his shield again, meaning to mention that since they were so close to unveiling their new hero and surely the reporter wouldn't have time to undermine their plan now, he should just reconstitute the real Bernard and end the deception. Looking down, he noticed his boss sitting in his chair, texting with a sappy smile. It would have to wait.

* * *

><p>She had about half the cards up now, the easiest ones to place. The rest would be trickier. Stepping back to look at them, she shook her head. <em>What does this mean? And why does he insist on using this incredible intelligence for evil? He could do so much good! In the end he was always defeated, but that didn't even seem to bother him much. He just kept going back for more. Why?<em> Looking at the time, she decided to call it a night. She and Bernard had made plans to meet again tomorrow. Smiling as she changed and slid into bed, she thought she'd ask him to come up and look at the card structure. It would be first time he'd been in her apartment. He hadn't ever suggested coming up, hadn't asked her out, or even walked her home, but she was sure he was attracted to her, and she liked him more and more_._ It was a nice change of pace that he was a little reserved, considering the personalities of the other men who'd been interested in her most recently – Metro Man, Megamind, Hal.

_This whole thing with Megamind...I just don't know what to think_. Obviously, there was an attraction between them, but what else? She turned out her light and lay in the dark thinking about her life the past five years. Publicly but mistakenly paired with a hero who was now dead. Attracted to a villain who refused to admit he had any good in him and that she didn't even know how to contact anymore. Throw in a new acquaintance and budding romance with a man who never changed his wardrobe and seemed to have the Evil Overlord of the city on a short leash! Relationship-wise, the best thing that had happened in a long time was that Hal had quit his job after the incident at Megamind's hideout. She was so glad to be rid of him, she didn't bother questioning why he'd left. _Why can't I just have a normal relationship with a normal guy? S_he covered her head with her pillow.

* * *

><p><em>In the chair... She felt slightly annoyed at being tied up again but oddly excited too as he rolled toward her on his own black chair, looming ridiculously huge as only dreams can make things seem. - Of course this is a dream.- Now he was holding up her Frequent Kidnapping Card silently and looking at her, searching her face. Hopeful, she started to ask if she could keep it...then he moved in to cover her mouth with his, and the card disappeared... For some nebulous reason she couldn't quite pin down, she thought she ought to tell him to stop…until she felt his hands slide along her thighs, making it clear he wanted much more than a kiss. She dismissed the idea of stopping him. She wanted to touch him too, wanted out of that chair so she could put her hands all over him... He wasn't being gentle anymore. She could hear him breathing harder and his kisses seemed almost frantic…and she couldn't believe how much she liked it! Who cared if he was evil or not? - No, wait! I shouldn't want this. - He was pressing himself against her – Yes, I do want this. How is he doing that when I'm in this chair? – and she strained to break free of the stupid rope. "...untie me and I'll help you…" but he didn't. He was still kissing her, down her neck and making his way lower, and she felt like she was melting... Now, somehow, she could see him and noticed...Bernard's glasses against his blue skin? Then he <em>_**was**__ Bernard. Suavely he assured her, James Bond style, "Lunch is never enough." He pulled her off the chair onto the floor with him…_

* * *

><p>Megamind stood leaning against the doorframe watching Roxanne sleep, half wishing she would wake up. She was restless tonight, obviously in the middle of a dream. She frowned and made a noise. <em>I wonder what she's dreaming of?<em> He watched her turn over and hug her pillow tightly. _I hate that pillow! Why do pillows get all the fun?_ Suddenly his eyebrows lifted as he had an inkling of what she might be dreaming about. _Oh!_ With a naughty smirk, he bit his lip and tented his fingers together as he crept nearer to her, watching her closely. Oh yes, her body language was a dead give away. _This is...delightful!_ He wondered who she might be with. _Please let it be me_. He reached out and stroked his fingertips lightly down her back and heard her mutter, "…Ber-nard…" Stifling a groan, he rolled his eyes. _Great_. Unable to resist, he leaned down and whispered in her ear, "Megamind." He could smell her shampoo and breathed it in deeply, resisting the urge to bury his nose in her hair. Hoping he might influence her dream, he repeated more slowly, "...Megamind." She started to stir, and he stepped back and slipped out of the room as quick and silent as a cat.

As she woke, the images drifted away like smoke, but her body clearly reminded her what she'd been dreaming about. It was Bernard, then it was her blue bad boy, then Bernard again. Back and forth it went. Apparently her brain couldn't decide what it wanted. _Obviously. Just like the rest of me. Of course, now, when everything is such a mess, I'm remembering all my dreams. It's a good thing I didn't have a certain visitor tonight...Or did I? _With a gasp she scrambled to turn on the light and looked over the side of her bed. The powder she'd sprinkled on the floor had definitely been disturbed. She groaned, turning on her side, and buried her head in her pillow again.


	14. Choosing Between One Man

**_Mommy2caitlyn is the best! :D She betas like nobody's business, and she is always so very kind and supportive! (Even though she tries to make me spell certain words the Canadian way. lol Just kiddin', M2C! You know I love ya!) ANY mistakes here are mine because I mess and mess even after she's seen it and even after it's been put up to be published. Slap me now._**

**_Also! She recommends a certain song to accompany this chapter/fic, and I have to agree. Give a listen to Alicia Key's 'Fallin'. :)_**

**_Thank you so much, all you incredibly handsome reviewers and folks who just keep reading this crazy fic! I *think* it's getting a bit more AU now. lol I've fallen behind in responding to reviews, which I generally love to do, but it's a busy time of year in the real world right now. So I want to thank you all right here: ((hugs)) *sparkles* (::) (::) (::) cookies!_**

**_(So silly... I know.) ~Hunger_**

* * *

><p>As they sat outside the coffee shop yet again, enjoying the sunshine along with their java, Bernard commented, "You know, I'm surprised more of the shops and businesses haven't re-opened yet. Our evil tyrant has been particularly quiet lately." There were more people moving about than there used to be, looking more relaxed than they had for the past couple weeks.<p>

"He has, hasn't he? No one's seen him in days although he's obviously been busy restoring a few things. I wonder why. But as far as the shops, I'm sure it has to do with the banks still being locked down. Without capital flowing, no one's going to be able to run their businesses unless they have some source of private income able to sustain them." She looked at the façade of Tony's and wondered what his secret was.

_Oh, of course. Get a clue, genius_. Having been distracted by so many other things lately and since he and Minion did have their own independent resources, he hadn't stopped to consider what local businesses needed to resume operations. Maybe it was time to reinstate and reboot the city's financial system. A city on its feet would be a better stage for the epic battle to come, with the public less dispirited and able to really get into the spirit of the thing, but he certainly wouldn't be able to count on Hal to do the rebuilding as Titan. The big dope was probably going to continue to need a shove from Space-Dad now and then, a few pointed hints on what he ought to be doing for the public good even after his acceptance as Metro City's new hero.

Roxanne was especially thoughtful today after the dream she'd had the night before. Besides making her feel a little self-conscious in Bernard's presence, it had really made her wonder what she wanted. Undoubtedly she and Megamind had a strong attraction to each other, but what else? She found herself attracted to Bernard too, and she was getting to know him better all the time. It would be nice if he was a little more forward, she thought. _I need time to talk to Megamind and figure out what's really between us. I can't keep bouncing back and forth between these two anymore. I'm going to have to decide_ _what I want_.

"How's the story coming along?" He watched her over the edge of his cup. Their collaboration on research was now more of an excuse to get together than anything. The books had been scoured and finally left aside, their discussions taking center stage instead. He wondered how much she was still trying to continue developing the story of who Megamind really was. It was a vague concept at best, and he purposely hadn't helped much with nailing anything down.

"Well, honestly, it's kind of come to a stand-still. I could make do with what I have now, but there would still be a lot of guesswork and speculation in it. That's not what I wanted, another article or story like the books we researched. I wanted this to be a fully factual account of who he is." She frowned slightly. "What I really need is to interview my subject, and it doesn't look like that's going to happen." She wondered if hearing her wish for it, Bernard might finagle things for her yet again, even offering to help her meet with Megamind, but he said nothing.

"I see. Well, I'm sorry I wasn't more help to you. But you should be proud of having put this much effort into knowing who he is, actually bothering to care, compared to those who happily publish trash for attention." With a scowl, he complained, "Even a villain like Megamind doesn't deserve to have his name and psychology and history dragged through the mud and dressed up in ridiculous lies just for other people's entertainment."

Roxanne could hear in his voice how strongly he felt about what he'd just said. "I know. That's part of why I wanted to do this."

He smiled warmly at her. "You have a good heart, Roxanne."

"Well," she replied with a shy smile, "I think you do as well."

He looked away and felt an unfamiliar pang. Was that guilt? If she knew what he was doing...

"There is something else you could help me work on."

"Oh yes?"

"You remember the photos I took that day in his hideout? All the cards and notes he had hanging up? I'm sure that's the key to what he's planning to do next. And I've started recreating it, trying to put it up in my apartment the same way he had it arranged, but I'm totally at a loss of what it means. If we could figure it out, maybe we could try to find a way to stop him."

He'd seen them for himself when he was there in her apartment at night, nervously observing the progress she was making. He'd been tempted to mess with it. Taking them away entirely would really make her mad, so he'd tried moving one or two to see if she'd notice, and they always were put right back again later. He knew she was close to having it finished, but Hal was nearly ready as well. Should he try to dissuade her from the task? Skeptically he asked, "Roxanne…You really think _we_ could decipher it? We're talking about the work of an evil _genius_ here. Have you seen his giant blue head? His lightbulb is big enough to illuminate any major sports stadium all by itself! It's more blinding than those annoying xenon headlights! Deer not only stop in their tracks; they fall over dead." She was laughing at him now. "And, even if we did, somehow, _possibly_ manage to figure out what he's planning to do…what could we do about it?"

"We'll cross that bridge when we get to it. There's nobody else, Bernard! I'm not afraid of him, and I don't think you are either. I don't know how you've been doing it, but I'm sure you've had something to do with everything he's changed lately." Bernard started to protest, but she stopped him, putting her hand over his and looked him directly in the eye. "Metro City has no hero. Who's going to stop Megamind? How can we get our city back again? Someone has to try at least. We may not be able to fly through walls or have super strength, but I'm sure if we work together we could do something."

He was surprised. Did she really think someone like Bernard could stop him? What did it mean to her, being a hero? As he sat listening and thinking, he'd absentmindedly turned his hand over to hold hers and was slowly stroking her fingers. Realizing what he was doing, he looked down at their hands and casually pulled his back again. _Stop that, Bernard!_

Roxanne was smiling at him. "So, how about it? Would you come up and look it over with me?"

_Come up to her apartment. Under different circumstances, if I wasn't wearing this disguise for instance, this would be great! _Nervousness danced in his stomach_. It's not as though I haven't been there before. But she is actually asking _Bernard_ to come up to her apartment. I have to remember _he_ hasn't been there before._ "Ah, yeah. I'm not very confident I'll have much of anything to contribute, but ok. When?"

"Today's fine. I'm free later this evening. Let me bounce ideas off you if nothing else. And the sooner we get started, the better."

He'd have to think of another excuse to skip out on Minion.

* * *

><p><em>Wow, she must have worked on it again this morning before going to work. This is more complete than it was last night<em>. Some of the cards were absent, but he admired how accurately she'd managed to reconstruct what she had._ She's very good._ Roxanne switched on the lights in the living room so they could see better as it slowly became dusk outside. Megamind held one of the cards between his fingers and smiled to himself. _Ah yes, I've revised that one since the day she found the hideout_. Letting go of it, he backed up and glanced around. There would be enough room to get the broad view from the back of the kitchen or the hall to her bedroom, but the cards weren't facing those directions. The correct orientation was toward the doors onto the balcony, but he was fairly certain there wasn't enough room to make out the big picture from there. The nervousness he felt at first seeing how far she'd progressed was assuaged a little. He knew most of his scribbled notes and equations would only make sense to him. He'd developed a kind of personal shorthand over the years and used it for security as much as speed. But if she was able to catch a glimpse of the whole thing from a distance, she couldn't miss what it meant.

He picked up a couple of the photos that still needed to be placed and wondered again if he should try to throw her off course or not. The plan was very close to being ready, only a couple days away, and without the overarching picture, he felt certain she wouldn't be able tie it all together. Therefore it wouldn't really hurt to help her put the rest of them up. He stood a little straighter, smiling and admiring his masterpiece. It was a temptation to see his work displayed right here in Roxanne's living room. He glanced at her standing beside him now, frowning at the photos on their strings.

"He could do so much good."

"What?"

"With all his intelligence. He could do a lot of good. It's such a shame that with so many gifts, he chooses to only use them for his own personal gain."

There it was again, that uncomfortable feeling that came over him whenever she starting talking like this. _Could I really choose to be good? No, it's too late, and my destiny is to be evil. Isn't it? Everyone who's ever known me has told me I'm bad and never let me forget it_. He glanced at Roxanne. _Except her_. Ever since he was a child, people had assumed he was trouble. Out of place wherever he went, people immediately judged him and mistrusted him on his oversized bald head and blue skin. When he'd tried to convince anyone otherwise, his failures had ended up seeming to prove them right, so he'd long ago given up trying to be anything other than what they said he was. Why didn't Roxanne see him that way? After all these years, all the kidnappings and forcing her to be part of his evil schemes, she still thought he had the ability to do good.

"Can I get you anything? Something to drink?" she asked and walked into the kitchen.

"Whatever you're having will be fine." Noticing the string next to the rest of the photos, he slowly unrolled a length. _She's simply not like other people, I suppose. What did she say? Two people can look at the same thing and see it completely different. She doesn't see me the way others do. They start by assuming I'm bad, and she doesn't. Why? It started with the gun and the card. Or did it start before that? And who's right? I'm not even sure I know anymore._

She was back, handing him a glass of wine. "Think you can help me figure out where the rest of them go? I have a couple master photographs that show it from farther away." She explained how not all the cards were visible though and why. He glanced at the reference photos and noted they were too close up to show Titan's form. _Oh, what the heck._ He began helping her hang the pieces where they belonged as they chatted about what all the indecipherable scribbling might mean.

The wine was too relaxing. He knew he was explaining more and more as they worked, such as what some of the equations "appeared" to be for, even though he was imbibing as slowly as he could and refused a refill. He knew he didn't have the physiology to indulge in alcohol without being affected by it far too easily. In other circumstances here alone with Roxanne, it might be nice to have a second glass, but since he was Bernard, he needed to keep his wits about him. He stopped himself from telling more by indulging in throwing out some red herrings as far what Megamind's plan might be.

"Giant rodents in the sewers? No, that's been done. Backing up the sewers! Now that would be evil!"

Roxanne laughed, "Come on, Bernard. There's a lot of mechanical planning going on here. And knowing Megamind's penchant for building giant, mechanical-"

"Well, I think he has more than just a penchant. I mean, obviously he has a great deal of aptitude. Maybe even a gift? You have to admit," He raised an eyebrow at her, "his inventions are pretty amazing."

She looked at him and smirked. That was a man's way of looking at things, but still he was right. She'd always admired Megamind's many inventions, even when they hadn't worked. "Not that I was going to tell _him_ that but, yes, I'd have to say most of them were pretty impressi-"

"AH HA!" He stopped, one finger in the air as she finished her word with a puzzled glance at him. "-ive." Clearing his throat, he flicked one of the cards. "Ah…I think this one needs to be moved down a couple inches." He bit his lip to stop from chuckling as he moved the note. _She __**was**__ impressed! Yes!_

Having finished their task, he sat on the couch and studied the structure from there. He was tired, and there was more work to be done behind the scenes tonight. Minion had been surprised at being told to have everything ready for Sunday so he'd holed up in his sewing room, working on the new outfit like mad, leaving him the chance to slip out. He looked at his watch, knowing he'd have to return soon. Just a little longer. It was so nice spending time with her like this, talking and working together like they were normal people. Well, at least she was. He put his arm across the back of the couch and watched her compare what they'd accomplished to her photos. Really she was a strikingly intelligent woman. As well as beautiful… and kind…

Roxanne backed up and sat down beside him, puzzling over their finished project. She felt they'd managed to get everything right, but now what? Although they'd been chatting and laughing all along, Bernard seemed confident about where he placed things. He also appeared to be fairly knowledgeable about some of the equations and sketches Megamind had drawn on the notes. Wondering if he had some background in math or science, she turned to ask him and saw that he'd fallen asleep, arm on the back of the couch. A smile tugged at the corner of her mouth as she thoughtfully studied him. He'd been an entirely different person when they first met, dry, sarcastic. His whole demeanor had been different. She remembered how she wondered if he'd been depressed about Metro Man's death. He certainly didn't seem to be anymore, and now she would gladly spend time with him even if wasn't about research. _We'll have to do something about your wardrobe, Bernard._ Slowly she leaned against his side. His cologne smelled clean and herbaceous and had hints of leather. That must be why I keep smelling it, she thought, settling herself more comfortably beside him. He didn't wake up. She sipped her wine and looked up at the cards, thinking.

* * *

><p>With a deep breath, he opened his eyes, wondering what the weight against him was. <em>Oh, it's her. She's asleep!<em> Her head on his shoulder, he felt the warmth of her leaning against his side. He wanted so much to put his arms around her and pull her to his chest and just go back to sleep. Letting his arm slip from the back of the couch, he cautiously placed it around her shoulder and gently rested his cheek on her hair, noticing again how good it smelled. Closing his eyes, he sighed. _Bliss!_ It had definitely been worth all of the juggling of schedules, losing sleep, and risking Minion's wrath so he could sneak out for this. Opening his eyes, he looked at the notes they'd finished hanging. _Sunday._ He smiled. Everything would be back to the way it was supposed to be. He would have a hero to fight once again and…

His face fell. No, he wouldn't be able to kidnap her anymore. A slight frown clouded his features. That would no longer be part of the plans. He wondered if Hal might have a girlfriend to be the bait, but it still wouldn't be the same as kidnapping Roxanne. How would he maintain their relationship? Could he continue being Bernard and pretend to be trying to help her undermine…his own plans? His head spun just considering how confusing that could become! He'd have to make it look good, but keep just shy of letting her figure things out. And what about the time he spent in prison?

No. She was far too smart. She'd figure it out eventually. And when she did, she'd be furious realizing it all came back to this. Plus, with Titan installed as the new hero she wouldn't need to try to figure out his schemes. _And I'll be back to my evil self, annoying her by attacking the city again._ _What am I going to do?_ He looked down at her unconscious form and felt her snuggle closer against him. A smile and a frown struggled together across his features. _She thinks she's with Bernard. But she wanted to kiss me. _He briefly wondered if she was trying to be with both of them. _She's not that kind of person, so what is she going to do? She wants both of us. I am both of us! _He frowned again. _But I don't want her to want Bernard._ _And what about when the real Bernard is rehydrated? He'll be in for a shock, and Roxanne…_ He felt another pang of guilt thinking of what her reaction to that might be. More than ever he just wanted to be with her as himself. He rubbed his nose along her head, concern shadowing his face as he pondered his options, until she stirred.

Lifting his arm from her shoulders, he smiled apologetically as she sat up and turned to face him. "Sorry about that! I guess I was more tired than I thought."

She smiled back at him. "No problem. I should have stopped at one glass. Wine usually makes me a little sleepy."

He motioned to the structure of cards and eased off the couch. "Looks as though we finished it." Glancing pointedly at his watch, he added, "And I wasn't much help figuring out what it all means, as I expected, but I'm sorry to say I need to get going."

Disappointed, Roxanne had hoped he might make a move following their sleepy snuggle on the couch, but he was acting like he wanted to escape. The curator continued to be an enigma. "You helped more than you think you did. Thanks, Bernard." She stood and walked with him to the door.

When he reached it, he paused and turned to look at her. Taking her hand gently, he gave it a squeeze and offered her a crooked smile that made her heart beat faster. "Good night, Roxanne."

Looking at his vivid green eyes fixed on hers, she nearly asked him to stay a little longer. "Good night. Bernard."

* * *

><p>The banks would be open tomorrow. He'd set in motion what needed to happen with Minion and the brainbots' help. It had taken several hours, but they were finally finished and were now back at the lair, reviewing their work and preparing to retire for the night. Hal's final training would be tomorrow morning and the debut on Sunday. Surprisingly Minion hadn't bothered complaining much about his decision to reopen the banks. "It's a good idea, Sir. The public will really begin to perk up when they can do their usual shopping again, and that'll make a much happier crowd to receive the new hero after your battle."<p>

He took his feet off the monitoring system console and set them on the floor. "Minion. You thought of this before, didn't you? Why didn't you tell me?"

The sullen look he received told him his henchman wouldn't have bothered wasting his breath. "You know, _Sir_, you've been a little distracted lately. However, I knew your prodigious brilliance would come to the same conclusion I had…sooner or later."

"Hmm." _Bordering on insolence there, guppy._ "Sorry, old friend. It will all be back to normal soon enough." _Maybe_, he thought, still wondering what he should do about Roxanne and Bernard.

"I look forward to it, Sir," the sidekick assured him. "And…Ms Ritchie?"

"Leave her to me, Minion," he dismissed the question as casually as he could, pretending it was of no consequence at all and would easily be taken care of. "I'll, uh, meet with her tomorrow and…you know."

Minion grimaced at the thought of the scene that would follow, but he felt relieved hearing it would be ended. "We'll have to scramble to get the final fitting done for your cape tomorrow too." At least the big battle suit was finished, although as yet untested.

"Yes, yes, no problem." Megamind was already wondering if he could sneak off to visit Roxanne. He'd been distracted all evening by thoughts of how she'd been curled up against him earlier. "I guess you'd better head off to bed then, Minion. Lots to do tomorrow."

"Right, Sir. See you in the morning, bright and early!" With a toothy grin and a brighter attitude as he sensed things were finally going to be put right, the happy fish withdrew to his room.

"Good night, Minion. Sleep well." _And soundly_. Megamind yawned and checked his watch._ I can catch up on sleep when Hal sends me back to prison_.

* * *

><p>Her lights were still on when he slowly pulled the invisible Hudson up to the curb. <em>It's very late, Roxanne. What are you still doing up? <em>He turned off the engine and waited.

* * *

><p><em>How can I get him to meet with me?<em> She yawned and looked at the time again. This seemed to be the only chance she had, but maybe he wasn't planning to show up tonight at all. Then again, maybe he wouldn't come up while she was still awake. _He's always waited until I've gone to sleep. Ok, so I'll go to bed_. She pulled her toolbox out from under the kitchen sink. _But this time, I'm going to make sure I know when he arrives._

The lights had been out for half an hour, and she was still wide awake lying on her side and staring out the window into the darkness. As late as it was, she thought she'd fall asleep right away, but the thoughts running circles in her head kept her up. _I have to decide. I can't pursue this relationship with Bernard and be fighting off the urge to make out with Megamind every time he comes around._ She had a horrible case of butterflies just thinking about seeing him again, if he showed up at all. _What is wrong with me? Wanting the villain? I'm on the side of good. And really, I hardly know him. He won't let me in to find out what he's really like, and all I've got are glimpses of a gun and a card. And I don't even have that anymore._ She wished she knew what had happened to the card. _But Bernard…_ She'd been thinking about the look he'd given her just before he left earlier. It seemed promising, a look that said he wanted to stay but simply couldn't. So she'd texted later and asked if they could meet for a picnic at the park tomorrow. There was no pretense. It wasn't about Megamind this time. It was just so they could spend time together, and he'd responded as enthusiastically as texting allowed. So tomorrow-

"Oof!" A muffled thump and a groan indicated her visitor had arrived.

She turned over to see a blue head appear over the edge of the bed followed by a pair of green eyes looking back at her. "Trip wire. Nice job."

With a chuckle, she sat up. "Sorry about that. But I wanted to talk to you, and you always wait until I'm asleep to show up."

He hauled himself up to sit on the edge of the bed. "Well, I'm not really sure how welcome I am."

_Neither am I_, she thought but didn't say it. "You look tired. Where have you been? No one has seen you in days."

"I've been around." He thought about the mornings spent training Hal as Space Dad, lunches with her as Bernard, evenings working on everything necessary for the plan with Minion. Then there were nighttime hours spent cleaning up the city and restoring the art museum and now the banks, and finally the few moments he'd managed to be with her as himself, usually when she wasn't even aware of it. It was no wonder she thought he was never around, and yet he felt like he'd been everywhere at once and sighed as the very thought of it all made him feel like he'd aged about a million years.

Hearing him sigh, she asked, "Not as much fun ruling the city as you expected?"

He looked at her and realized he didn't really care much about being the Evil Overlord of Metrocity anymore. _I just don't know what to do about you._ "It was fun at first," he admitted quietly. "But…nothing is the same anymore. Everything seemed so much easier back... before… everything." He looked down at his hands. Before I ruined it all. Before I destroyed my friend, my rival, and the purpose of my life. Before I realized what a mess I've made with you. And now I don't know how to keep you and make you forget Bernard. Wishing he could just tell her everything, he looked at her solemnly and said, "And…I still miss you."

After the barest pause, she reached out and hugged him suddenly, not sure why she felt so moved. He seemed lost somehow and she ached for him, wishing that she could reach inside and find what was in his heart. Maybe she wouldn't find what she expected, but at least she'd know. Sitting there holding onto him, she closed her eyes and knew this might be the last time they touched this way. She held him tighter.

It wasn't as though he'd been trying to get her sympathy. He was just being honest. Once again, just like the day she'd hugged Bernard outside the lair, it took a moment for his brain to respond to this unfamiliar delight. But this time she was hugging _him_, as himself; that was the wonder of it. As he returned her embrace and felt her draw closer, he thought he might have to be pried away from her eventually. Resting his cheek against hers, he sighed and closed his eyes.

_Is this what he needs to open up? I want to know so much what he's hiding; who's really in there._ She could feel him rub his cheek against hers, and she couldn't resist pressing her lips to his skin, cool and smooth. It was such a small thing, but it ignited her immediately, startling her how quickly and intensely her feelings for him could be stoked. _Oh, why?_ _Anytime we're together, this crazy chemistry just takes over._

_That was a kiss_. He pulled away from her just enough to be able to see her lips, and one hand cradled her cheek, desperately wishing for more. _What if I'm wrong? What if she-_ But there it was, a tiny lift of the chin, a movement closer in the dark. It didn't require any thought, just the reaction that came so naturally, and amazingly he found her responding to him yet again. He kissed her, their lips pressing in marvelous synchrony over and over, until he pulled away, leaving her waiting. There was that little curve of her mouth. Brushing his lips against it, he closed his eyes and savored the feeling of that firm edge and her peachy skin meeting it, kissing there lightly, nuzzling it again, taking his time. His fingers slipped through her hair to her ear. He recalled how it had looked like smooth porcelain as they'd sat together…but he had the gloves on. The gloves again! Frustrated at still having forgotten to remove them, he wasn't about to chance interrupting the moment. He hadn't known it was going to happen, but it was exactly what he'd hoped for.

Roxanne was confused. This wasn't how he'd kissed her before. What he was doing seemed almost painfully sweet. She wasn't used to being…cherished. Appreciated instead of just wanted or even used. She wanted to just press her mouth on his roughly, it was such a turn on the way he was kissing her, but she didn't want to stop him either. And it was too emotionally wrenching, considering she thought she was going to have to say this was the end. She just couldn't understand how this man who would destroy a hero and take over a city to rule as a tyrant could be this way. "Megamind…why are you kissing me like that?" the words blurted out in a baffled whisper, just as he began exploring the other corner of her mouth, his hand gently drawing her closer to his lips. _And how am I supposed to give you up when you act like this?_

He stopped a moment, knowing he couldn't tell her that he was just following her excellent advice without giving away his alter ego. She'd been right yet again. It was certainly worth taking his time, exploring those little details and finding out what such a masterpiece as Roxanne Ritchie meant to him personally. She meant everything. He wished for enough time and her permission to explore the rest of her too, but she was waiting for an answer. He kissed her harder instead, lingering on her lips, intending to let this one show her how much he wanted her to be his. "Is that better?" It had made her breathe harder, he noticed.

"…no…I just…" Totally confounded, she honestly didn't know what to think. It didn't matter what he did, she was enjoying every way he kissed her far too much. She looked in his eyes, regarding her longingly but waiting, and at his lips. _How can I stop myself from wanting this_?

Seeing her looking was enough of an invitation for him. He felt bolder, prompted by his own desire as well as the certainty of the effect he was having on her. With his hand behind her neck, he didn't need much pressure to convince her to come closer to kiss again, longer now, making sure he got that full bottom lip by itself just once, drawing it between his own lips. He felt her breath release in a huff at that and turned his head so he could run his tongue across her upper lip as well. She made a slight noise and surged forward, covering his mouth with hers and inviting another pass of his tongue. Her hands came up to caress the back of his head, but the cape was in the way. He reached up to unhook the clasp and let it fall away, then pulled her closer again until she slid over against him. _Closer, Roxanne. I know I could please you if you'd let me_.

For a while, she just couldn't think past what he was doing. Massaging the back of his neck as they kissed, she felt one of his hands slide down her back over her satin pajamas and stop above her hips. His fingers rubbed around and around and then tried to pull her closer to him again, but she was practically on his lap already. Her brain finally sparked to life again as his lips left hers and worked their way along her jaw line toward her ear. Not that that wasn't amazing as well, but moving his arm as he squeezed her tighter, one of the small spikes on his glove grazed her skin. She gasped slightly. _Spikes... No, I shouldn't like the spikes._ As he nibbled her earlobe, her eyes rolled back and she closed them, trying not to moan out loud. _Ok, this is going way too far. I can't do this…oh man, I really want to do this…_ As he stopped toying with her ear and rubbed his nose along her cheek to kiss her lips again, his gloved fingertips trailing down her neck as well, she wondered if just once, maybe… Maybe it would change him. Make him see himself the way she did. _And what if it doesn't? Am I going to sneak around sleeping with the super villain at night and trying to expose his evil plans by day?_ _And how am I going to face Bernard tomorrow… or ever again?_ _This will blow any chance I have at a relationship with him. Damn my conscience!_ Returning his kisses harder again, she didn't want to stop him doing all the incredible things he was doing to her, but she knew now she was going to have to. Freeing herself from a lingering kiss, she paused to take his face in her hands, looked at his mouth regretfully, and moved in to nibble his blue lip just once, while she still had the chance. She'd always wanted to do that. It was a mistake, she realized, as he grasped her even tighter and pressed himself against her, trying to push her back onto the bed. Resisting him, she reached back with one arm to keep herself upright. She put her forehead against his, breaking their kiss, keeping her mouth away from his attempts to continue.

_No…oh, what did I do?_ Distressed, he frantically reviewed everything they'd been doing and her responses. It was all good. Why was she pulling away now? _She doesn't want me_. "Roxanne…" He swallowed hard. "…please…."

His hoarse plea tugged at her heart and made her head spin. She closed her eyes, struggling as she reconsidered giving in for a second. The thought of Bernard made her withdraw enough to look at him. "I can't do this."

"Why?"

"What do we have?" He raised an eyebrow and started to respond, but she interrupted him. If she didn't say it now, she might lose her resolve. Still wrapped in his embrace, she conceded, "We definitely have chemistry… but I need more. I barely know what to think of you, Megamind. You're… you're confusing me." She frowned. "I can't be satisfied with just a physical relationship. And really… that's all this is. As amazing as it is… that's all this is. I don't know you."

He looked at her, lips parted with so much to be said but having to be held back. _You know me so much better than you think_. "What about our history? And you've seen all I've done for you lately."

So he had done it all with her in mind. Maybe Bernard had told him what she wanted. "Our 'history' is nothing but you kidnapping me and refusing to let me inside to know you better. Why do you do all these good things and still claim you're evil? I need some certainty of who you are. I can't… give myself to somebody that I'll always be wondering about; having to work against to try to find out who he really is."

_Certainty of who I am… I don't even have that anymore myself. _"I need to be with you, Roxanne." His eyes searched hers anxiously, hoping she understood he wasn't just talking about a physical need. "I _need_ to see you… and I can't kidnap you anymore." What would she think of him using someone else, someone Hal knew, as the bait in his plans? Would she be relieved it wasn't her?

She looked at him sadly. "No. I know. Those days are over."

His heart sank. _I have to tell her_. He released his hold on her and sat staring wide-eyed. _Now? Or later? As Bernard, tomorrow maybe? She's going to be angry. No… she'll understand. Maybe_. He'd never felt more uncertain and nervous. His stomach was churning. Looking at her, he knew he had to try._ I know what we have, even if she doesn't. But that's not fair to her. I should have known she wouldn't be happy with a superficial relationship with me as myself. She's never satisfied until she knows everything_. Once she knew who he was… but who was he? What would she think knowing he was Bernard and then watching him fight Titan and be hauled off to jail again? Frustration welled up in him, and he stood suddenly and paced a little, almost forgetting Roxanne watching him from the bed.

What was he thinking? He looked perturbed, uncertain, almost angry. _Is he upset because I said no to him? He won't hurt me. I know he won't._

He turned and stood looking at her intensely. _What would I give up to be with her?_ The question hung over him and settled slowly like a dark cloud weighing him down until he felt shaky. He reached out to touch her face as she sat looking at him unhappily. Then he quickly left.

She didn't know how long she sat there unmoving, with her mind racing, before lying down again. Every gesture and word between them replayed over and over again. _Push it aside, and let it go._ _I did the right thing. It would have been a lot harder if I'd given in. He was being pretty presumptuous._ _And he still wouldn't let me in._ Sighing and tossing a bit, she pulled up her comforter and thought of Bernard instead and remembered his promising smile. _I guess I've decided_.


	15. What Would I Give Up?

Megamind sat, chin in hand, watching Minion put Hal through his paces. When they were finished, he would take him out flying for the last time.

_What would I give up to be with her?_ He'd asked himself that question over and over. Although he'd been so tired that he'd fallen asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow, he ached as though he'd been wrestling with it all night. Driving home he'd felt certain that he should simply tell her the whole story. Now in the cold light of day, he wasn't as sure. _Is she really going to want me? She never mentioned Bernard last night, and it was me she was kissing. She admitted we have chemistry, so you'd think she'd be happy to find out we're the same person_. He couldn't quite put his finger on why, but he had a feeling it wouldn't go over as well as that. _She wants Bernard. That's why she said no. _He sighed at the thought._ No, she just doesn't want someone she doesn't know. But she does know me…better than I know myself. I've just got to tell her. I wish I knew how she'll take it._ He watched Hal blasting barrels and progressively working up toward Minion_. I still love the battles, the struggle between good and evil. I could never be a hero, but she won't have a villain. _He sat upright suddenly, struck by a sobering idea._ Could I give this up? Let the hero win definitively? After all our work with this blockhead, we should have at least one last glorious fight, but then…I could let Hal win, apparently defeating me… disappear, go tell Roxanne…and do what? _He slouched again._ This is my destiny. Being bad._

"I'm all done, Space Dad. Now what?"

Blinking, he turned his attention back to the hero-in-training waiting in front of him. "Very good. Now let's see if you have remembered what I taught you about flying."

Hal performed as though he'd actually been paying attention for the past couple weeks, rekindling Megamind's waning enthusiasm. Finally he felt it was possible that he'd created a worthy rival. Anticipating the legendary fight they would have, even his worries about Roxanne abated for a time. As they returned to Minion, Space Dad informed his prodigy that he would soon face the city's super villain. "It's time! You're ready at last to meet your greatest adversary – Megamind! I've issued a challenge to him in your name. Tomorrow the two of you will meet in an epic battle the likes of which this city has never seen, and when you have overcome his evil awesomeness, Metroci... Metro City will welcome you with open arms as their savior and new hero!"

"Wow...! You really think I'm ready?"

_Eh, close enough._ "Yes, my son. You are ready." He suddenly realized due to his fatigue and distracted state of mind, he'd forgotten a necessary article of clothing he was supposed to give Hal for tomorrow's debut. "We'll break for lunch now, but I want you to meet us in the park later this afternoon for one last lesson and… a gift."

"A gift! Wow." Hal couldn't imagine how things could get any better. Quitting work and not seeing Roxanne anymore had been a bummer until he realized his x-ray vision would let him do a little peeping until she became his girlfriend. Space Dad didn't need to know about that. He wasn't hurting anybody. And now he was finally going to be done with these lame work-outs. Tomorrow he'd be the new hero and be able to do whatever he wanted. _Once she catches a glimpse of these pecs, she'll be all over me!_ He grinned to himself. "Ok, Space Dad! I'll see you at the park later. See ya, Space-Step-Momma! Good job on those barrels today! You nearly had me!"

Waving as Hal flew off, Minion questioned out of the side of his mouth, "You think he's really ready?"

Megamind rolled his eyes. "As he'll ever be." If only he could get him to engage in some witty back and forth. He'd give it one more try this afternoon.

"And…you're meeting Ms Ritchie soon," Minion tentatively reminded him.

"Yes," he checked his watch absentmindedly.

"Well, good luck, Sir." He gently put one giant metal hand reassuringly on his friend's shoulder. "I know it won't be easy, but once this is past you, you'll be able to focus on your big day tomorrow so much easier."

Megamind didn't answer. Once again, his mind returned to tossing around all the possibilities. Could he continue being Bernard indefinitely? End his career as Megamind, Master of All Villainy? Should he simply tell her what he'd been doing? A text interrupted his thoughts. _Meet in lobby – RR._

* * *

><p><em>In lobby now – B.<em>

_Be down soon – RR._

As he waited on pins and needles by the front desk, he happened to glance at the short statured, grey-haired doorman who was watching him with a kindly smile. _Poor fool's got no idea I've infiltrated his building multiple times in the past couple weeks_. He smiled back. _I'm sure he thinks I'm just a nice looking, unimaginatively dressed friend of Ms Ritchie_. "Nice fish," he mentioned to the older man, pointing at a small goldfish swimming in a bowl on the desk.

"My little friend? He keeps me company. Name's Minion. Heheh. Just like our Evil Overlord's sidekick." He winked to acknowledge the joke.

Megamind eyes widened. "You don't say." He leaned closer to the bowl and peered at his friend's namesake. "Hello there, Min-ion." He grinned to himself. _Wait until he hears about this!_ Looking back at the doorman, he said, "That's pretty bold. What if Megamind hears of it? Aren't you afraid he might be angry at you for naming your pet after his henchman?"

Carlos raised up to his full height and bounced on his heels a bit. "Naw. That little blue guy don't scare me."

Megamind brows lifted in surprise. _Little blue guy? _"No?"

"He's not so bad. Cleaned up the streets, didn't he? And I just heard the banks have been reopened today! I think he just wants a bit of attention. I've got a nephew acts the same way."

Roxanne walked into the lobby with a basket and asked, "Are you ready to go? The taxi's here."

"Yes." He nodded to the man who held the door for them, smiling broadly. As they walked out, he glanced back again, somewhat perplexed.

* * *

><p>Roxanne had tried very hard all day to not think about what had happened the night before. She went about preparing for the picnic, purposely thinking of Bernard instead, remembering the way they'd chatted so easily as they worked hanging photographs, his funny flustered expression when he realized he was holding her hand across the table outside the coffee shop, his smile as he asked her to close her eyes at the art museum. But then her thoughts would drift to blue lips pressing hungrily against her own, and remembering him pulling her closer would fill her with a rush of warmth. <em>No, <em>she told herself, trying to will the thoughts away. _I can't keep thinking about that. I should have stopped him sooner_. With a sad frown, she wondered when those memories would fade away and leave her in peace. Was he thinking about her today too?

Relaxing on the blanket with Bernard at the park, she decided the wisest course of action would be to start making new memories. If he was feeling shy, she would take the lead herself, making sure he knew how she felt, letting him know she wanted to move ahead. It didn't help that he was a little distracted and particularly pensive today, but by now she was used to him acting that way at times. They'd found a beautiful spot all to themselves in the shade of a large tree, away from the main path. With the weather perfect for being outside and the public in high spirits due to the good news about the banks spreading quickly, there were more people in the park than there had been in weeks. They discussed the renewed financial system as they ate, agreeing it seemed to make quite a difference in the atmosphere of the whole city. People were happier and more relaxed with their security re-established. Even their cab driver had been smiling.

Roxanne didn't want to ask Bernard what he might have had to do with it. She knew now that Megamind had been changing things for her, or at least that was what he had claimed. She still was intensely curious about the connection between the two men, certain it couldn't be coincidence that whenever she mentioned things to Bernard, they seemed to receive Megamind's attention within a very short period of time. But because of what had happened last night, she felt uneasy pressing him about their association. She wasn't sure she wanted to know, and that made her a little quieter today too. A companionable silence settled over them as they relaxed in the shade, watching people going by.

"Look over there. What's that crazy bird doing?" she asked as a pair of pigeons caught her eye and provided a welcome distraction from her persistent thoughts. The two were engaged in some odd avian ritual, paying no attention to the couple nearby. One of the birds, pale grey and white, was turning in circles, bowing and then stretching up, puffing out its neck and chest while the other bird looked on, obviously impressed. Once in a while the larger bird would strut off a few paces, spreading its tail out and dragging it on the ground, and then return to where it started.

"I'd say that's a male trying to impress a female." They watched the funny-looking antics a bit longer. "Remind you of anyone?"

"Does it remind me of anyone?" she asked in surprise. "Not really. Should it?"

"Well, try to imagine that larger bird with the world's most perfect hair," he referenced one of the late hero's most famous and highly regarded attributes. Even more than toothpaste companies wanted his dazzlingly white teeth to advertise their products, shampoo companies had vied to have the endorsement of the head with 'the world's most perfect hair'.

Roxanne laughed. "Bernard!"

"What?" He chuckled. "You can see it now, can't you? Oh, yes. He used to strut around just like that. We'll have to imagine that little female there with a microphone clutched in one foot as well," he added with a wink, making her laugh again. "Look at that tail! Just like a cape, isn't it?" Now that he'd put the image in her head, she found it hilarious to think of Metro Man acting like a giant, wooing pigeon.

With a smile at hearing her laughter, he lay back on the blanket and gazed at the pattern of leaves above them. She didn't seem upset at hearing Wayne mentioned. It really hadn't been that long since the funeral, but maybe her feelings for him were already fading with the new interest she had in Bernard. Briefly he wondered if she would be at all attracted to Hal when he was revealed as the new hero…but he dismissed it just as quickly. No way would such a buffoon be able to win Roxanne's heart and mind. "Don't tell me it didn't work too! At least a little? Not that you could be blamed. What female could resist that sort of physique?" Gesturing in the air, he outlined the form with a waving hand, "The huge puffed out chest and the perfect feathers, er, hair. If that pigeon had teeth, they'd be as white as snow, and he'd be flashing them at her like the model we all know from a certain toothpaste ad." Roxanne laughed harder at the thought. "Yes, I recall you looking very taken with our late, great hero every time you interviewed him. Come on," he coaxed, watching as she reclined beside him, still laughing. "Admit it..."

Roxanne found Bernard's bird analogy even funnier because he was right about one thing. Metro Man really had acted that way, and she had played along, seeming to be impressed, because the public loved it. Maybe that was part of why he'd been holding back. Had he felt he couldn't compete with Wayne's memory or maybe just that she needed more time to grieve before he showed an interest in her? She was ready to let him in on the truth that she had felt too guilty to admit to before. "Ok! Ok…" She paused for effect. "Metro Man and I…were never a couple."

_What!_ It startled him so much, he sat bolt upright to look at her. "But I thought you two were-"

"I know! Everybody did. I just…he was never really my type." She glanced over to check his reaction.

"Really…!" He looked back up at the leaves above them. _So she was telling the truth that last time I kidnapped her. I can't believe it. So just who is her type?_

"Now you tell me something," she was requesting, looking down at him. "Something you've never told anyone."

_Oh my dear...where to begin_. He didn't really know what to say but suddenly heard himself admitting, "Well, in sh…school?…none of the other kids really liked me." As he spoke the words aloud, it hit him hard. So many of his problems had begun right there. Roxanne scooted closer, recognizing in the tone of his voice that he was telling her something painful and close to his heart. "I was always the last one picked for everything." _Wow. That still really hurts after all this time. And why did I just say that? It sounds pathetic._

"Hmm. Well, it's too bad we didn't go to the same school."

Glancing over at her, he saw understanding instead of pity in her eyes, and feeling her fingers brush his, he took her hand. She smiled at him, wishing he would get up the nerve to kiss her. _Come on! Perfect opportunity...!_ She tried to make the unspoken message as clear as she could, but he didn't seem to get it and looked away from her again at the tree overhead.

_You are so wonderful, Roxanne… but I don't want to kiss you as Bernard_. He couldn't bring himself to let go of her fingers this time though. If he had to deny himself her lips, he was at least going to enjoy holding her hand. Then he was struck with an inspiration. "There was one person I went to school with who…befriended me when no one else would."

She sat up, stunned. "Megamind, right?"

"Yes." He grimaced. It was only a little bit of a lie.

"I knew it! I had a feeling the two of you knew each other somehow. And you're still in contact, aren't you?"

"Er, yes…" Uncomfortable, his eyes darted away from her searching gaze.

"So it _was_ you that told him about our conversations. The park and the art museum. And the banks?"

"Well…he feels bad about having kidnapped you for so many years. And, uh, now that he can't anymore, he wanted to make it up to you somehow. He wanted to make you happy," he explained. _That much is true_.

_He wanted to make me happy. That's what he tried to tell me when I said no to him last night. Then he seemed…upset. _She didn't know what to think of it all. All the memories from the night before were stirred up again like flakes in a snow globe._ I've ended that. It's too late to go back. What about what I have with Bernard? They know each other. But Bernard doesn't know Megamind's been in my room at night._ She felt disturbed and confused all over again.

Megamind could see the mix of emotions play on her face as she sat thinking. _If she's torn between the two of us, maybe she'll be happy to find out Bernard and I are one and the same person after all_. He watched her gravely. _Don't give up on me, Roxanne. _He squeezed her hand, and she looked at him. "Let's take a walk."

He helped her up and entwined her fingers with his as they made their way toward a small shaded pond. Ducks rested quietly at the water's edge, and they strolled over a footbridge that spanned the still water. _I really have to tell her. I'm sure she'll understand once I explain everything._ His heart was pounding as they reached at the apex of the bridge. Standing side by side they looked over the railing into the water. There they were – two human people. Roxanne smiled down at their reflection, but Megamind's heart plummeted as he stared a face that wasn't his own. _I'm not human, and she's happy because she thinks she's with Bernard. I'm just 'that little blue guy' and bad besides_. Swallowing hard, he tried to smile back at her in the water. _She deserves to be with someone who is human. And someone who is good_. _I can't do this. _Then he felt her squeeze his hand.

"You know, Bernard, this…this has really been a lot of fun. The past couple weeks, I mean. I don't know if I've told you how much I appreciate your willingness to help me with all my crazy ideas. You had to spend a lot of time listening to my theories, going through a ridiculous amount of information, dealing with that harpie at the library-"

"Genghette Khan, I believe you called her."

She laughed. "Yeah, her." Even that episode was worth remembering. "You helped me immensely with the photographs. I just want you to know how grateful I am and…how much I've enjoyed it. Thank you."

_Tell her! Now's a good time._ "I think I should thank you. And…you're right. We work well together. I hope we… we could continue to work together." He took a breath and tried to speak, but nothing would come out. She looked at him questioningly. "Could I take you out to dinner tonight?"

Her face lit up. "Yes! Of course!"

* * *

><p>"The city parks restored to their original glory. The streets the safest they've been. The banks reopened. Has something happened to Megamind? Has someone tamed this monster? This is Roxanne Ritchie. Cautiously optimistic…and pleasantly confused." As the broadcast ended, Roxanne wondered if the city would ever know how much Bernard had helped it in the past week. He was an unsung hero, unlike the strutting Metro Man, and she respected that. If he never received compensation from the city and the adulation of crowds, she'd make sure he at least knew that she acknowledged his efforts. She hoped he'd been watching her broadcast and caught her subtle message.<p>

* * *

><p>He sighed and smiled, barely aware of Minion measuring carefully. <em>Yes, Roxanne, if anyone could tame me, it would be you<em>.

Minion jotted down another number. He was happy at his work, anticipating seeing the cape he'd been sewing on frantically since yesterday finally finished and ready for the public to admire. It would be his masterpiece! Hopefully the battle wouldn't damage it too much. This one would definitely go in the collection. He looked up at Megamind's face as he measured again. For once, his blue boss wasn't fidgeting and dancing with impatience the way he always did during a fitting. "Well! You seem in a very good mood tonight, Sir."

"Huh? Oh, yes." He tried to turn his thoughts back to the present. It was nearly time to meet Roxanne at the restaurant, but as far as Minion was concerned, he had given her the heave-ho hours ago. When he'd returned to the hideout after meeting her in the park, he must have looked sufficiently disturbed because Minion had silently patted his back and offered him a sympathetic smile. He'd refrained from asking questions about how it went however, which was just as well. He needed to think of a reason to slip away soon. "How long is this going to take, Minion?"

"Just a few alterations, Sir, and I will be done with your most _terrifying_ cape yet. I'm calling it… the _Black Mambaaaa_…."

"Black Mamba! Perfect. Ooo, gosh, I am running late. I have to go." He stepped down from dais and waited while the brainbots removed the garment. He needn't bother to explain every little thing he did to Minion.

"Wha-? Where - where are you going, Sir? We have our debut battle with Titan tomorrow morning. We haven't even tested your big battle suit yet." He thought surely the first test run of the suit would have his friend's complete attention. He'd been so proud of how it turned out.

"You attend to the details, Minion. I have to…run a quick errand."

_Errand?_ Now he was distinctly suspicious. "You don't run errands. What's going on here?" _He's been sneaking out over and over, and if he thinks I'm totally clueless about it all, then he's got another thing coming. I'm tried of being left in the dark. Whatever happened to us working together? He used to tell me everything!_

"What?"

"Oh! Wait a minute." The olfactory sensors of his mecha-suit picked up a faint odor, and he sniffed deeply to draw it into his habitat. _Oh no_. "Are you wearing Jean Paul Gaultier's…Pour Homme?"

"It's just my natural musk. Now. Where are the car keys? Ah!"

"Ah, ah, ah." _You're not brushing me off so easily this time. I have a duty to perform, and I'm done with being left out_. Minion grabbed the keys. He knew there was only one reason Megamind had started wearing that cologne, and the scent was still strong on him, not left over from earlier. It was fairly late in the day, and he only met with her at lunchtime. That could only mean one thing. "This is about Ms Ritchie, isn't it! You're going on a _date_ with her!"

With a forced laugh, he flippantly reassured his henchman. "No, my main man! Get out of town!" _He's probably just jealous, but he's going to ruin everything if I have to tell him where I'm going_.

His reaction made it obvious. He wasn't in denial about his feelings toward Ms Ritchie. He'd purposely been courting her. "Oh, this is bad. This is bad." _And he's been lying to me! How am I supposed to watch out for him? He never used to lie and sneak around behind my back._ "You've fallen in love with her!" Emotional entanglements and evil plans never mixed. It would ruin everything!

Megamind stopped, slightly shocked. What he'd found so hard to admit to himself, even in private, Minion had just accusingly announced out loud. He had no right to treat the subject of his angst so casually, or refer to his deepest feelings for Roxanne as something that was inherently wrong. "You are forgetting your place, Minion," he warned ominously. "Now give me the keys!"

Minion extended his robotic arm to keep the essential items out of reach. _Oh, we are not done discussing this. _"Eh, what happens when Roxanne find out who you _really_ are?"

Rolling his eyes, Megamind thought of just how ignorant his fishy companion was of the whole situation. _You know nothing about it, and I plan to keep it that way until I have it all worked out. Maybe I will tell her and maybe I won't, but it's nothing to do with you._ "She will never find out. That's the point of lying." _That's what the evil me would do, and as far as he's concerned, he can just keep thinking that my plan is to continue deceiving her. I'm the one in charge here!_ He poked the manual override button for the robotic primate's extending arm, catching the keys as they zipped through the air toward him.

"OH!" Minion gasped. He'd never been treated so disrespectfully. The manual overrides were completely Minion's own personal domain. Never having expected Megamind would make use of them without permission or outside some emergency, he almost felt violated.

"Honestly," he chided the hurt fish, "if I didn't know any better, I'd think this was your first day of being e-vil."

"NO!" Minion was angry now and very worried. Was this how much Megamind had changed? Was this all due to Ms Ritchie? Just how much influence did she have over him? "This has gone far enough_!" I have to stop him. He's got to listen to me. _Snatching the keys back and dropping them into his dome defiantly, he thought, _he'd never reach in here to get them._ Deep down he was no longer sure of that.

"OH! That was really grown up!" Megamind began chasing Minion down, bent on retrieving what he needed to go meet Roxanne at any cost.

_Oh my gosh. I think he would!_ "Sir…SIR! Please! It's for your own good!" Nothing positive would come of a super villain being in love with a woman bent on stopping him. Couldn't he see it was already beginning to weaken everything, even them? And despite Megamind's best attempts to keep up the duplicity, Minion was absolutely certain it would eventually all come crashing down around his big head soon enough. He dreaded the thought even more now realizing what a vulnerable position his friend had put himself in, emotionally as well as professionally. _I've got to make him see sense!_

"Oh, what do you know!"

"I may not know much, but I do know this… The bad guy _doesn't get the girl_!"

"Maybe I don't want to be the bad guy any more!" Megamind blurted out, shocking himself as much as his sidekick_._

"AHHHH!" They stared at each other.

"You heard me!" _Yes, yes…why not? Why not just give up the game?_ He felt trapped by Minion's relentless pressuring and just wanted desperately to get away. He needed to think. Why had he said that? Could he actually retire from being bad?

"_Who - are - you_?" He'd always said being evil was his destiny, ever since their days in school when he'd tried so hard to be good and finally decided he was only good at being bad. Minion couldn't believe what he was hearing. _What the hell is happening?_

_Who am I? I wish I knew. But I do not have time to discuss this with you right now._ It was nearly time to meet Roxanne. He taken it this far, worked up his nerve, and now he going to be late. "Now give me THE KEYS!"

Desperate to make him listen, to force him to stay and discuss the matter until he came to the right conclusion, Minion cried out in appeal, "My sole purpose in life is to look after you!"

"Well, I don't _need_ you to look after me!"

Minion stopped, feeling as though he'd been punched. "What are you – what are you saying? You don't need me?"

"Let me make it clear. Code: I don't need you."

His jaw dropped._ Betrayed! Unappreciated!_ "You know what? You know what!" He popped the keys back out of his dome. "Code: I'll just pack my thing and go!" _If he thinks he can do it all on his own, fine. Let him! Maybe he needs to fall on his face to understand just what I do around here. He's never appreciated everything I do for him!_

"Code: Fine!" He regretted it already, but he couldn't bring himself to get off this terrible path they were headed down.

"Code: Fine back!" Stinging from the hurt, Minion forgot his Segway was in reverse and backed into the full-length mirror, breaking it. "Well, good luck on your _date_!"

"I will!"

"That doesn't even make any sense!"

"I know…"

Watching his best friend leave, it felt as though part of him was being torn away. _He can't leave me._ Expecting him to stop and turn around again at any time, he stood, shoulders hunched, and watched the little piscean roll away, telling himself, _Minion won't really leave. I'm his whole reason for living_. Then, unbelievably, the door closed with a clang, and his best friend was gone.

As the door shut behind him, Minion paused, lost and uncertain. _What do I do now? Where do I go? Who's going to take care of him?_ His bottom lip wobbled as salty tears threatened to spill into his habitat. _Well. He can just rely on his girlfriend from now on and get himself out of jail and deal with Hal all on his own_. He suddenly remembered something important. _The bones. I never told him. _He still didn't fully understand the significance of what he'd discovered that day, but he had a bad feeling about future complications it portended for Megamind's plans. Ignoring the impulse to go back inside, he set his toothy jaw determinedly. _Too bad! He doesn't need me? Then he'll have to find out on his own!_ Straightening his back, he rolled forward, determined not to feel guilty.

Turning to look in the cracked mirror dejectedly, Megamind twisted the disguise generator and watched himself transform into Bernard once again with a half-hearted smile. _I still have Roxanne. I'm sure she'll understand. It'll be over soon, and then Minion will see I was right. _He tossed the keys in his hand. They'd just been bought at a very high price.

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><p><strong><em>The next chapter should be published rather soon. *fingers crossed* I've nearly got it done. As always, betas like M2C rock - and I own nothing here (like Megamind or Segway) except my mistakes, which are<em> _all my own as usual._**

**_Yes, male pigeons really do woo their mates that way, and it's very cute and fun to watch. I raise homing whites. :)_**

**_Does anyone else find it sad that Minion has only one 'thing' to call his own? :(_**

**_The reviews have been so wonderful, people! You're so kind to me! My heartfelt thanks..._**


	16. The Rain Scene and the Aftermath

**_If I could choose a soundtrack for the rain scene and after, it would be 'Trouble' by Coldplay._**

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><p>Roxanne watched in shock as her former cameraman flew off into the night, vanishing just as abruptly as he'd appeared. As she'd tried to take in the startling revelation of Megamind's card structure, slowly stepping backward onto the balcony to see it more clearly, he'd unexpectedly shown up, masked and flaunting his new heroically built body. His attempts to be suave had only succeeded in putting her on edge. Then the barbaric way he'd flown off with her and tossed her around, trying to impress her, reinforced her first impression of him. Now that she knew who he really was, it didn't surprise her at all that she had had a bad feeling about him at first sight.<p>

The rush of his angry departure whipped up her hair and skirt, and the sound of shattering glass exploded in her ears as she stared into the night sky in disbelief. How had this happened to him? Obviously a certain blue alien was behind it all. Hal barely looked like himself anymore, but he still acted like the Hal she knew; presumptuous, harassing, immature...and now dangerous as well. He was so cross once he realized she wasn't going to throw herself into his arms, he had almost seemed ready to push her right off the tower. Where had his powers come from? Despite his bungling, they appeared to be the same as Metro Man's. Only one person might possibly have the ability to do this to him, although she had no idea how or why. Why would Megamind make a new hero? And, of all people, why choose Hal?

She pressed her back against the antenne tower and wrapped her arms around herself as the wind blew harder. A storm front was moving in. The goose bumps and shivering she felt could be from the cold or from having survived Hal's manhandling. _How am I going to get down?_ By now Bernard would be waiting at the restaurant. _So Megamind has created this new hero, Titan. But…didn't he already have what he wanted? Metro Man is gone. He rules the city. Why make trouble for himself?_ What was it Bernard had said? Good and evil need each other, and evil left unchecked becomes pointless. Maybe Megamind had found that to be true. He did seem unhappy. But if Hal really had the same powers as Metro Man, Megamind would just find himself losing over and over again like before. _Does he like being beaten? _She was incredulous. It simply made no sense. _It's no wonder I don't understand him._ She stood there, puzzling over it and trying not to think about the fact that she was stranded until the faint sound of voices drifted up to her. Someone was checking on the broken windows down below. Clutching the metal tower, she began shouting for help.

* * *

><p><em>She's late.<em> Anxiously he checked his watch again. She was very late. _This is not good, _he fretted._ What if she already found out somehow! No. No, something has just held her up, probably work._ _She'll be here._ Fidgeting, he repositioned the candle slightly, then realized it had gone out. _That won't do._ With a sideways glance, he reached back and set the de-gun to 'destroy'. No was one was paying attention to him, so he quickly relit it and smugly moved it back to the center of the table just as she walked in.

"Roxanne!" She seemed hurried, flustered. _And something about her looks different._

"Sorry I'm late," she said, taking her seat.

_It's the hair._ "Your hair looks exciting!" _That's…a new way for her to wear it._

_Forgot all about that_, she thought glancing up. _I must look like I got caught in a windstorm_. On the way over she'd been so distracted thinking about her discovery, she hadn't even bothered looking in a mirror before walking in. She couldn't wait to see what Bernard made of it all. "Hmm. Not the only exciting development of the night!" She leaned closer to break the news quietly so only he could hear. "Megamind's created a new hero! And I know why."

He was fairly sure all the blood draining from his face like that had to show up on the hard-light projection. While she explained, he nodded and tried to respond coherently while wondering how she could possibly have found out so much. There hadn't been room to see the big picture in her apartment, he was sure of it. Had she moved all the cards? As she continued excitedly, he attempted to appear to be listening while he frantically considered how to deal with this unexpected twist.

"…He missed getting his butt kicked… so he created a new hero to kick it for him."

_Whoa there._ He spit out his drink before he choked on it. _What's that supposed to mean? _"Wow. Who?"

"Hal! And Hal's the worst possible person you could pick!"

_She even knows it's Hal! How could she know that? And he's the worst person? Why? He seems harmless enough. Not bright, but then not everybody's a genius_. "That's…a lot to take in." _Ok, never mind that. It's too late to try to throw her off the scent, but it's too late for her to stop the plan anyway. The battle is set for tomorrow. And we have more important things to talk about tonight than Titan. _He quickly recommitted himself to his decision to tell her about Bernard and the disguise generator._ I need you to focus on me here, Roxanne. Wait, she is. But not _that_ me…_this_ me. Oh for Pete's sake! This is too confusing!_

"I know!" she agreed. "It…it boggles my mind!" Attempting to reason out why Megamind would choose to create someone he would obviously lose to had her so puzzled, she barely heard Bernard.

"I am extremely boggled!" _Like you wouldn't believe. _"You know, I'm sure we'll get to the bottom of who's kicking whose butt," he affirmed and offered her a glass of champagne. "But in the meantime, let's…enjoy each other's company."

Finally his words registered, and she smiled at him. **"**I'm sorry, Bernard. Of course, you're right. You know, I could use a breather." She took a deep breath, knowing she had a bad habit of bringing her work with her everywhere she went. _Megamind can wait until later. I shouldn't expect Bernard to discuss him every single time we're together. He'll think I'm obsessed. _She thought guiltily that he might be right about that_. This is our first real date, and I'm not going to let it be ruined by Megamind or Hal or whatever weirdness they're up to._ She lifted her glass. "To Bernard. For being the only normal thing in my crazy, upside down world."

_Oh my._** "**To…being normal." Drinking to such an incongruous toast bothered him, but sharing the moment with her – candlelight, champagne, and she looked beautiful sitting there staring into his eyes, even with the crazy hair - soothed his misgivings. _Now if only I can figure out how to couch this the right way. God, I'm so nervous… _"Roxanne?"

She turned from looking out the window._ I could have sworn I just saw- _"Yes?"

"Say I wasn't so normal," he began casually. "Say I was bald. And had the complexion of...of a popular primary color… as a random, non-specific example." He looked at her apprehensively. "Would you still enjoy my company?"

The first thing that occurred to her was that he'd described Megamind without even meaning to, and she almost laughed. _The champagne on top of the shock of seeing Hal like that must be getting to me. Obviously he doesn't know just how much I've enjoyed Megamind's company. Too much. Appearance isn't the problem, Bernard. _"Of course! You don't judge a book by its cover or a person from the outside."

"Oh, that's a relief." His sigh of relief was cut short when she continued.

"You judge them based on their actions."

_Based on their actions_. All the many deceptions he'd employed recently flashed through his mind at once_. I'm in trouble. _"That's kind of petty. Don't you think?" he appealed._ Maybe this isn't the best time to tell her_. _Maybe I shouldn't tell her at all_. Continuing to be Bernard suddenly seemed like a very reasonable option, but the sound of her laughter bubbling up disarmed him. Watching her, his heart seemed to swell at knowing he was able to make her happy. _I love that sound so much._ When she leaned in to be kissed, he forgot to hold back, forgot the role he was playing, forgot to worry about deciding what to do at all.

_It never fails! He always makes me laugh. And...yes! He's finally going to kiss me!_ Even though it was fairly innocent, it was very sweet. Just what she'd expected from Bernard. As she reached across the table and found his hand with hers, she noticed a flash, bright even through her eyelids, and wondered if someone had just taken their photo. Roxanne heard gasps and low exclamations around them. _Geesh, people. It shouldn't be very surprising to see a couple kissing in La Coeur Brisé, _she thought_. But I guess this probably will make the grapevine. 'Metro Man's Girlfriend Moves On'. _She opened her eyes…

Megamind knew as soon as their lips met that he'd failed in his resolve. _Too late. Might as well enjoy it. If this doesn't go well, who knows when I'll be able to kiss her again._ Oblivious to everything else, it took a moment before he sensed Roxanne had frozen. She pushed him away just as he looked at her. Why was she so shocked? He'd been holding back since they were in public, but the kiss wasn't that bad. Not like the other night, but… "What?" he asked and saw them. _The gloves!_

Later, he realized he should have immediately taken her out of the restaurant, away from the gawking crowd, and explained everything right then, forcing her to stay and listen to the whole story if necessary. Instead he panicked. When she finally disabled the disguise generator with her glass of water, all rational thought had deserted him completely. He watched her stalk out and sat in a stupor, amazed at his own ineptitude. How would this mess ever be righted? After what seemed like an eternity, he stood up and realized every person in the restaurant was still gaping at him in horrified fascination as they waited to see what he was going to do. He felt like dehydrating them all on the spot, but there wasn't time. He hurried out to catch up to her.

* * *

><p>Roxanne hardly felt the downpour, couldn't hear the rumbles of thunder. Wide-eyed, she mindlessly followed her feet, automatically leading her back home. Blue cubes rehydrated as the rain came down, reinforcing her fears of how much of a lie everything had been. <em>All of it? Oh my god…why? He's been with me, and he's been pretending to be Bernard. How long was he pretending to be… and why? WHY!<em> She felt completely stupified, outraged, incapable of even forming a coherent thought, having dealt already that evening with the shock of meeting Hal in his new body and being threatened by him, left on an inaccessible height, and now this. And this was infinitely worse. Every pile of trash that mockingly sprang up as she passed jolted her nerves painfully until she reached the street and heard a squeal of brakes and a familiar engine. She pulled up short at seeing him step out of thin air.

"I can explain!" He tried to catch her, but she turned away in disgust, and although he wanted to, he didn't have the courage to grab her and force her to look at him. _Please, Roxanne, don't overreact. You're always able to think things through rationally._ "What about everything you just said? About judging a book by its cover?"

_That's all he thinks this is?_ Stopping, she turned back with menacing slowness. "Well then. Let's take a look at the contents, shall we?"

_That might not have been the best approach_. He cringed and retreated a step, seeing how upset she was.

"You _destroyed_ Metro Man," the shove she gave him carried more force than one of that late hero's punches, "you took over the city…and then you actually got me to _care_ about you!" She wanted to scream at him for toying with her emotions, like it was nothing more than taking the art he wanted from the museum. He'd used her…for what? Did he find it amusing? Was it a power trip? It was more painful and humiliating and degrading than anything she ever thought he was capable of doing to her. It was… "Why are you _so_ _evil_? Tricking me?"

He flinched and trembled under her attack_. Now she thinks I'm evil_. He looked away, barely able to stand seeing the hurt in her eyes, not wanting to hear her of all people call him that.

_I thought there was some good in you. Why?_ "What could you possibly hope to gain?"

The answer was on the tip of his tongue, and even as he looked up at her he knew Minion was right, but he couldn't bring himself to say it.

Pieces swirled and fell together in her head as soon as she'd asked the question. All the time they'd spent together in the library, in the coffee shop, so readily revealing all her thoughts to him as 'Bernard', excited as he showed her the art museum restored, Megamind visiting her at night, telling her he needed her, then leaving when she'd said no… _No...this was all to get me to sleep with him? _"Wait a minute… I don't believe this." _He's not that low, is he?_ He looked at her sadly. Ashamed, she thought. _And I almost fell for it. I almost gave in._ _Worse than that, I…I actually cared about him._ Her anger and embarrassment at being so thoroughly fooled made her want to hurt him back. "Did you really think I would ever be with you?"

He was stung. _Why is she saying that? We both know what happened in her room_. But what didn't happen was even more telling, he realized all at once. _I never had a chance. I should have known_. "No."

Wounding him so deeply didn't satisfy her at all. In fact, she felt like crying, but she wasn't about to give him the satisfaction of seeing that. Pushing past him, she walked off in the dark across the rain slick street. Megamind watched her go, the only person who'd ever thought he had good inside him, hardly believing how spectacularly and quickly everything had disintegrated around him. His mind gone blank and his emotions totally numbed, he began shuffling down the street, not knowing or caring where he was going, and missed seeing her look back just once.

* * *

><p>She shivered as she let herself into the apartment with shaking hands and staring eyes, barely fitting the key into the lock. Carlos had been alarmed when she walked into the lobby soaking wet and obviously distressed and had gone to find a blanket or towel for her, but she couldn't wait for him. She wanted to be back in her own place and alone. By this time she was chilled to the bone and so weary from her internal turmoil she could hardly think any more. All the way home her mind had been churning. Leaning against the door to close it, she couldn't even be bothered turning on the lights. She closed her eyes and tried to slow the torrent of questions and guesses and memories that threatened to overwhelm her sanity.<p>

Passing her hand wearily over her brow, she wiped the dripping hair off her face and pushed unsteadily away from the door. Looking down at her dress as she moved toward the bedroom, she noticed the rain had changed the sopping, clinging fabric from deep purple to midnight blue. She paused, regarding it sadly for a moment. _Why does everything end up blue_? Picking it out and getting ready for their date seemed like it happened years ago. She'd been looking forward to it so much, immensely pleased that Bernard had finally asked her out. _There is no Bernard, _she reminded herself, but she wasn't really sure. Had there ever been a real person besides the part Megamind played? When had he started this?

In her room, her stomach quaked as she towel-dried her hair, reminding her she hadn't eaten at the restaurant. She took off the dress, tossing it into a corner, and wrapped her robe tightly around herself instead, trying to find some comfort in its warmth. _I'd choke if I tried to eat now anyway_, she thought. Then turning, she looked at her bed and thought about him sitting there in the dark, holding her and kissing her. Frowning as tears pricked her eyes, she pressed a fist to her lips, wanting to stop the sensation there that the memories aroused. _How could he have touched me like that and have been pretending the whole time? ...Stop._ _Do not think about it_, she warned herself hotly, blinking the tears away before they could fall. She walked back toward the kitchen for a drink. She would need it in order to not find herself lying awake tonight. That unopened bottle of vodka in the freezer ought to do the trick.

At the living room she stopped again. There was the card structure. From here Titan's name and form didn't appear at all. Bernard…no, Megamind had helped her with them. She realized he'd actually put them up the right way when he could have thrown it all out of order if he'd wanted. _He had the perfect chance, so_ _why? Why help me?_ _He must have thought I was too stupid to figure it out._ Slowly walking toward the hanging pieces, she swallowed hard and her heart ached at remembering how they'd spent that evening talking so easily, laughing, enjoying each other's company like so many other times. Had that really been Megamind? Sadly she couldn't help wondering if that was all just part of his plan too. _I wonder if he got a good laugh at seeing me trying to win Bernard over, snuggling up to him on the couch. And now Bernard's gone. _His playful smile flashed in her mind._ I'm going to miss him…_ Then her anger flared up, scorching, reminding her. _Megamind __**is**__ Bernard, and he was jerking me around! He knew how I felt, and that didn't stop him from…_ She grabbed a card and angrily ripped it off its string as tears finally slid down her face. With a quiet sob she stared at the flowing handwriting, feeling her face crumpling as she crushed it in her hand, and then she pulled down another and another.

* * *

><p>He finally stopped walking and, looking up, took note of where he was. The rain had ended, he knew he was cold, but that didn't matter. There was Roxanne's building just across the street from him. He'd found his way there without consciously trying. <em>This is a sign. I should go up and talk to her. I didn't even get a chance to tell her the whole story, and even if she still hates me afterward, at least she'll know how it all happened.<em> He strode across the empty street. _Yes. She's a reasonable person, and she ought to be willing to listen to my side of it. _He couldn't see the doorman inside, so he disabled the lock on the building's front doors while he thought about what she'd said in the street. "_Why are you so evil?" Just when I was starting to wonder if maybe she was right…maybe there was a chance that I could just choose to be good. She'd almost convinced me, and now she thinks I'm evil. But I wasn't doing this to be bad. She must think… _His thoughts shied away from speculating about that_. Well, I don't know what she thinks, but I have to tell her the truth_. The lobby was empty for some reason. _I wonder where Carlos is._ With a passing glance at the goldfish bowl, he quickly slipped into the elevator and thought briefly of Minion, wondering if he'd cooled off and gone back to the lair yet. Where else did he have to go? Would he be happy to find out he'd been right, that things had gone so wrong? No, he wasn't that cruel. Nervously watching the numbers light up, his thoughts turned back to Roxanne; how he always couldn't wait to see her, how far they'd come in getting to know each other, how confused she made him sometimes, how incredible it had been when he could touch her. _Please don't let this be the end of all of that. She enjoyed being with me, I know she did. She...she has feelings for me. She's got to understand._ The elevator doors opened, and frowning as he took a deep breath to steel his nerve, he walked determinedly toward her apartment.

It would be better tonight to knock rather than break in. Just as he was about to rap at the door, he heard a sound that stopped his hand in mid-air and made his heart start pounding. She was sobbing, crying out, loud enough that the sound traveled faintly to him through the wooden barrier. Horrified but incapable of stopping himself, he pressed his ear to the door.

"…Why!... so stupid to think… and he kept coming back here… I must have looked like an IDIOT! I was an idiot! …rotten bastard, how could he… oh yeah, he _needed_ me… Why did I _ever_ think… good in there somewhere? SO totally wrong! …_all_ this time… the _whole_ _time_!..." It went on and on. His first impulse was to rush in. And…do what? _I'd only make it worse, hurt her more. _Pressing his palms against the door, his eyes darted here and there as he listened. He winced as he caught snatches of her anguished questions between sobs and weeping. Something inside crashed and made him jump. _She hates me_. He slid to the floor, crumpling against the door. He didn't want to hear any more of what was happening inside, but he felt totally unable to stop eavesdropping. He'd never heard anyone cry that way, agonizing out loud. _It's no wonder. All she knows is that I lied, and I took away Bernard. She wanted Bernard._

His mouth had gone dry. He tried to swallow, tried to ease the tightness in his throat. _They were right. They were all right… all along. Why did she ever think I could be good? When I try to do good, it always turns around on me. It always goes wrong. I did this to her_, he thought, _trying to be something I'm not. I am bad…evil._ A louder wail came through to him, and he closed his eyes tightly and bumped his head against the door, one gloved hand clutching at the smooth surface as though he wanted to reach through it to her. Breathing hard, he realized his chest hurt terribly. He scowled and shook his head. _How did I let this happen? _He spoke to himself as though he was once again that small, despised boy standing in the corner._ I am going to sit here until she's done. _Self-loathing didn't begin to describe how he felt. _Sit here and listen _a_nd never forget it again. You are evil. You can't be anything else._

It seemed his terrible vigil lasted forever, hearing the worst of it and wishing over and over she'd settle down. By the time the noise from inside finally abated, he ached from sitting hunched up outside the door, his clammy clothes stuck to him, and his eyes felt hot and dry. Everything inside was silent now. _She must have gone to bed_. He stiffly stood up and tried to ease the kinks out of his spine. Just as he turned to go, he had a thought. _Should I go in to check on her? It's the least I should do. What if she isn't asleep?_ He scowled at his own gutlessness. _Take the consequences, you wimp_. Hesitantly, he picked the lock and let himself in as quietly as he could. He didn't see her immediately, so he slipped back to her room and peeked around the door. She was in bed, silent and sleeping, her face turned away from him. He remembered the last time he visited her here and how she'd cleverly set the trip wire to make sure she got a chance to talk to him, how she'd been willing to kiss him, letting him pull her closer. He never seemed to be able to hold her close enough. Gripping the doorframe, he knew he couldn't walk in there and put his arms around her the way he wanted to, to beg her to forgive him. He wouldn't be visiting her here again. Ever. "I'm sorry," he whispered. "I'm so sorry."

Roxanne's eyes flew open. Knowing it was futile getting into bed but determined to at least try to get some rest, she had closed her eyes and pretended she could overcome her tortured thoughts and will sleep to happen. Hearing his whisper, at first she couldn't believe he had the gall to show up again. She was tempted to jump out of bed and start throwing things, but she just couldn't face him. Then she realized what he'd said… and after several long moments, she turned over and looked toward the door. He was gone. Her head spun, whether from the alcohol she'd consumed or from her overwhelmed emotions, it didn't matter. Wishing he had never come back at all, she curled up on her side and quietly started to cry again.

* * *

><p>"Okay, Minion," he called as he stumbled wearily in the door, assuming he would find his sidekick waiting for him. <em>Might as well give him his due, I suppose<em>. "You were right. I was…less right. We should stick to what we're good at. Being bad." He paused, but nothing stirred and no one answered. There was an eerie, empty feeling about the place that was very unfamiliar. "Minion?"

_He didn't come bac_k? Incredulously, he waited a little longer, wondering if the touchy fish was just trying to scare him into thinking he'd left for good. His face fell as he realized the awful truth. _I've lost Roxanne. My best friend's gone_. He felt completely alone for the first time. Minion had always been there - since he was a baby, through growing up in prison and going to school, supporting him in his career of villainy. His own words came back to haunt him like an echo. _"Code: I don't need you." _Shoulders slumping, he knew it was his own fault yet again._ One more person I crushed today._

Across the still room he spied his structure of precisely hung cards and notes, carefully thought out steps and detailed drawings, all the carefully laid plans that spelled out his rival's name… his destiny...and his face hardened into a grim, dark glower. He summoned the brainbots and demanded the Black Mamba. While they went to fetch it, he removed his damp clothes, his gloves, the cape, his holster and gun. Suddenly he stopped and looked at the de-gun thoughtfully. The filigree on the handle was what Roxanne had noticed and loved, just like the work he'd done on the Frequent Kidnapping Card to set off her name. He ran a thumb over it, recalling the time he'd put into it, how much of himself he poured into developing the design and slowly added to the workmanship of it. She thought it meant something about him was different from all the trappings he used in public, that it represented part of him that was still worth hoping for, hidden but beautiful, honorable. _I guess she was wrong. _He stared at it blankly._ I shouldn't be carrying this anymore. If this is the only part of me that seemed good, it's time to let go of the lie_. He set the gun down and walked away from it to finish dressing.

Fully ensconced in the new outfit Minion had designed, he felt emptier than he ever had before. No one would be there to help him or to try to stop him. His destiny was to oppose good. That was all he had left. Starting up the massive battle suit, even the sight of its awesome potential and power didn't touch him. There was no thrill from seeing it respond to his movements. No satisfaction in his workmanship could begin to fill the void in his chest this time, but he would play the part he'd always been meant to play. "Ok, Titan. It's time to go down in style!" For the rest of the night he took out his anger and frustration in testing the giant mecha suit for the next day's battle. _It's a good thing I gave Hal Metro Man's power, _he thought,_ or I'd end up destroying him too_.

* * *

><p><em><strong>La Coeur Brisé is the name on the menus in the restaurant. Apparently it translates to 'The Broken Heart'.<strong>_

_**While he's wearing the Black Mamba during the initial battle scene with Titan, I believe the de-gun is missing, and it's the only time during the movie he is not carrying it as far as I can tell.**_


	17. Tighten the Terror

"Dan, I'm not coming in today. That's all there is to it."

Running a hand through her sleep tousled hair, she listened to the squawking at the other end of the line and rolled her eyes as her boss griped about her absence. Sleep had been a long time coming after hearing Megamind's whispered apology. Then she'd awakened late, feeling like she hadn't slept a wink anyway. Her body ached, her head felt woolly, the heaviness on her chest wasn't going to go away any time soon. Shuffling to the front door, she frowned. _Must have forgotten and left the chain off last night_, she thought as she slid it back into place. _Oh, that's right. He wouldn't have been able to put it back on when he left. "…I'm so sorry…" _Scowling, she turned her attention back to her unhappy boss.

"Look, when was the last time I called in? …Yeah, that's right. I'm sick." _Sick at heart. Sick in the head. He can call it whatever he wants_, she thought, looking around at the mess in her apartment. "Yes, I have a pretty good idea of what's going on downtown, and I… no, I'm _not_ coming in… Good grief, Dan, you have other reporters. Just get someone else to cover it!" She snapped her cell phone shut, cutting him off, and tossed it on the counter. _That's what I miss about those old rotary phones. Slamming them down felt so good._

Heaving a sigh, she began picking up the ruined photographs that had been scattered around the night before when she'd taken out her fury on all the pieces of paper hanging from her ceiling, raging at them as though they could take the place of the person she was so angry with. She really did not want to look at it all again, to deal with the reminders, but the place had to be cleaned up or it would be in her face all day. _I could go out, but then I'll probably end up hearing about the big fight with Titan over and over. I'll just clean this up and stay home._

A good night's sleep usually helped clear her head when she had trouble puzzling out a mystery, and even though her sleep had been far from restful, she felt like she could at least think about the whole mess a little more calmly now. An empty feeling nagged at her, as though something was missing. For the past nearly two weeks, she'd turned to Bernard over and over to talk about things. And now he was gone when she needed someone to talk to the most. Her hands full of pieces of torn photos, she watched them fall into the trash and realized, "Grief. That's what it is. I feel like I've lost someone close to me… god… why did he have to do this?" More tears threatened as she stood staring into the trash can, but she felt like she'd cried enough about it all and reminded herself that she was better off being angry. Megamind had been lying the whole time.

A little less than half of the idea cloud still hung from the ceiling, and it was time to finish taking it all down. Clutching the front of her robe together, she reached for the nearest piece still hanging by a string. Her hand stopped, seeing it turn slightly in some invisible breath of air in the room, just as they had been the night she'd jumped out of bed and tried to catch him, only to find he'd already slipped away. _Why did he keep coming here if he wasn't even going to let me see him? What a strange way to try to get in my bed. _Somehow she knew Megamind, even with all his steadfast claims of badness, wouldn't have harmed her. Not physically. The emotional harm he'd done was bad enough, but not once had she felt threatened by him._ He was with me nearly every day as Bernard….and using Bernard to make himself look good._ She frowned. It didn't make a lot of sense. But then, it seemed she hadn't had a lot of success figuring out anything about him yet. He was still a walking blue question mark to her.

None of the cards had anything to do with her as far as she could tell. She quickly looked over them again, then snorted quietly_. Yeah, like he'd spell out a plan of seduction and hang it in his workshop. Right. More likely I was an afterthought… spur of the moment. Just having a little fun on the side while he worked on his big plan with Hal. _Bike riding in the park had actually been very enjoyable though and seemed totally innocent even now. She couldn't think of a moment during that day when it seemed like he was trying to impress her. And she had to admit the discussions they'd shared were interesting and thought provoking_. He really believes good and evil need each other. Cleaning up the park and restoring the art museum must have required some quick planning and work. And the night he showed up after reopening the banks… if I hadn't set the trip-wire… _The feelings waiting just below the surface as she remembered their encounter on her bed rose up painfully. That memory caused her as much unhappiness as anything. _Telling myself I'd have to choose between them. I agonized over that! And what was he doing the whole time?_ _Playing both parts – fooling me!_ At first she'd felt sure he had come to her room that night specifically to try to seduce her, but now she remembered… _I was the one who started it. If I hadn't set the trip wire, would he have slipped out unnoticed like every other time? Why did he keep sneaking in and out?_

Bernard had said in the park that Megamind had wanted to make up for kidnapping her so much. _Ok, _she reminded herself, _for one thing, they're the same damn person! I've got to stop thinking of them as two separate people. _She squeezed her eyes closed and rubbed her temples, trying to picture Bernard as Megamind in disguise._ The face – yeah, those facial expressions – no one looks quite like that. I can see him there now. He plays all these parts… leather and spikes, mild-mannered Bernard, then there's the gun and my card. How the heck am I supposed to know what he's really like? Which one is just a role and which one is really him? Have I ever really seen him just as he is? Just who the heck was I…falling in love with? S_adly, she had to admit it was true. _I was falling for him._ _What did he feel for me?_ When they were in the art museum, he had looked so genuinely, almost childishly, pleased at surprising her, as though seeing her happy was the only reason he'd done it. Like it was the whole point. She stood staring at the cards blankly, then turned her gaze to the window. The city looked hazy.

* * *

><p>As he ran along the subway line in the remains of his tattered suit, people screeched and scattered before him. Ignoring them was easier than disregarding the rising panic he felt, but he needed to do so in order to try to analyze what had just happened. Everything was falling apart.<p>

Hal didn't want to be a hero. What an idiot! Did he know what he was giving up? The adulation of the entire city, a sure chance of winning every battle, the satisfaction of helping others, fame, acceptance... _"I only took the gig to get the girl."_ He'd had Roxanne's affections in mind the whole time? That had been a facer. Being preoccupied with her himself, Megamind had forgotten Hal's reaction outside the lair. Clearly the ex-cameraman was a bit possessive. Frustration had led him to press Hal's buttons in order to get him to engage in the battle he'd been anticipating so much, but revealing the Bernard deception and gloating about the kiss they'd shared had obviously worked a little too well. Now he was angry. Very angry and very dangerous. He suddenly realized he needed to go find Roxanne and warn her. If Hal decided to go after her...

Titan did not have a weakness to copper and without that failsafe measure, he'd lost control of his creation. Ok. Why? Why didn't the copper work? Was it because Hal's DNA was mixed with Wayne's? If that was true, what could his weakness be? Every hero had a weakness. Logically it still ought to be something having to do with Wayne since Titan's powers came from the ex-hero's genetic material. What else did he know about Wayne? What else did he have to use that might possibly work to gain control of him? Hal would be able to crush or escape anything with that same invincible strength Metro Man had had. The de-gun. It had never worked on the former hero, so he assumed it wouldn't work on the new one. However, now that he knew there wasn't a complete correlation between the two, there might be a chance the de-gun would have some effect on Hal.

He turned toward the nearest exit that would take him in the direction of the lair and picked up speed, spurred on by his anxiety, dodging people who stared after him. _Must get to Roxanne. Need to get my gun first. I wonder where Minion is._ He'd feel better carrying the pistol anyway, even if it didn't end up working on the big imbecile. Without it, he felt like he was missing his right arm. _Ok, so even if it's not who I am, it's still a weapon, right? _He sighed, knowing the gun was part of him. It belonged with him. _If only I hadn't lost the DNA infuser. And the car._ _I have no idea where I was that night._ Crushed by Roxanne's parting words, he had lost all sense of time and place as he wandered the streets. _I'm going to need to find out more about Wayne…and Hal too_. There was only one person who knew them both better than he did. And she wasn't very happy with him right now.

* * *

><p><em>Maybe it's my own fault.<em> As she dressed for the day in jeans and a tank since she wasn't going anywhere, she remembered standing in front of her mirror on the morning of Metro Man Day. It seemed like ages ago that she had chosen that red dress she thought might help her coax some personal information from her long-time captor. Maybe it was her fascination with the filigree on his favorite weapon and wanting to know more about the real him that had started this whole mess. _Well, I sure found out, didn't I? And there's no excuse for him lying to me, even if it seemed like I was leading him on… trying to entice him. _Tied up in the chair and kissing him back for the first time, she remembered being amazed at how gentle he'd been. And how she'd gotten caught up in it so much that she'd even wished she wasn't tied up. _Be honest with yourself, Roxanne. You've been attracted to him for a lot longer than when you first noticed his gun_. She frowned to herself and dropped another pile of photos in the trash. _He tried to force a kiss on me first though! When he promised he wouldn't. And what about this whole Bernard disguise_? Opening her eyes to see herself face to face with Megamind in the restaurant had been…a shock. Being tricked like that was traumatizing_. In public too! After wrestling with myself, trying so hard to make myself let him go, and trying to forget everything that happened… and then it was him I was kissing anyway. _A little voice in her head wondered if she ought to be glad about that, but she refused to consider it, refused to ignore her stinging dignity.

_When did he first start disguising himself?_ Bernard had been very unwilling to help her find the books she wanted when she'd first met him in the museum_. That could have been Megamind. Geesh, is Bernard even a real person? Maybe it's always been him, playing the role of an expert on the city's two super powers_. _Maybe Bernard is just an alter ego he uses so he can walk around the city, pretending to be normal. _"To…being normal." His voice and his face when he'd echoed her toast had seemed wistful, but now she realized that really he'd looked... sad. Her own face fell. Walking into the kitchen she saw the bottle she'd smashed against the wall the night before and groaned at the mess. She hadn't lobbed it very hard and it had hit with a thunk, only breaking the neck off and spilling the rest of the alcohol on the floor. She hadn't even drunk very much of it.

As she squatted over the mess and carefully picked up the biggest pieces, placing them in the trash, she remembered being at the memorial museum after the funeral. That was when Bernard had really seemed different to her. His usual dry remarks and the sarcastic personality had been overshadowed by despair that there was no longer a hero to challenge Megamind. _That was him, I bet. What was he doing there? Oh, well, of course he blew the place up._ Glancing over at the remaining photos, she remembered reassuring him. "Good will rise up…heroes can be made." She stopped and looked again, staring at the cards. _Oh my gosh... This was my idea. I didn't mean 'make' a hero though! I just meant someone would get sick and tired of living under a tyrant and find the courage to stand up to him! _Distracted, she gripped a piece of glass too hard and sucked in her breath as it parted the skin on her finger. Blood welled out of the thin red line as she stifled a curse. "Great," she muttered. Quickly she threw the rest of the bottle in the trashcan and grabbed some paper towels, wetting them to pick up any tiny shards of glass left behind. They also soaked up the blood from her finger. _The alcohol ought to kill any germs. It's probably a better use for the stuff than drinking it. _Tossing it all, she pulled out some dry towels to finish wiping down the wall and floor.

By the time she rinsed her hands in the sink, the cut had stopped oozing. She looked at it and felt weary. The day was getting on, and she'd spent all her time thinking about Megamind yet again._ I guess he didn't have anything to worry about setting up his idea wall here. I am too stupid to figure it out._ Looking out the window, she noticed the smog was worse. _It's only over downtown... That's smoke. What is he up to? He never does that much damage. But then, Hal's involved this time. Didn't he inform his new playmate that heroes aren't supposed to wreck their city? _Hal would probably have as much finesse being a hero as a bull in a china shop_. _Assailed by a sudden pang of worry about what was happening, she quickly walked back to her bedroom and turned on the TV.

* * *

><p>Carlos stood holding his weapon with trembling hands, pointing it at the city's Evil Overlord, determined not to allow him to get into the elevator. Megamind had caught him unawares, bursting wild-eyed through the front doors in the tattered Black Mamba just as the placid, grey-haired gentleman had been about to feed his goldfish. Now he held up his gloved hands in deference to the older man's responsibility to guard the building. If possible, he preferred to convince him to let him pass instead of forcing his way in.<p>

"Carlos, listen! I've got to see Ms Ritchie. You know me. Well… you know me as Bernard. Look!" He switched the disguise generator and transformed into the familiar curator as the security guard's eyes opened wider, but the gun wasn't lowered an inch. "Uh…I remember your pet's name too! It's Minion!" He pointed at the fish, causing the overwrought man to grab the bowl in one arm and hug it tightly to himself, the gun in his hand shaking visibly.

Megamind sighed and switched off the disguise, knowing what he had to do wasn't going to endear him to anyone, but he had no more time to waste. "Sorry about this," he muttered. Quickly drawing his weapon before the older man could react, he dehydrated him and caught the goldfish bowl in one hand, replaced the pistol in its holster, and caught the blue cube that was now Carlos in the other hand all in one swift movement. Setting the bowl down on the desk, he turned to take the elevator to Roxanne's floor. On second thought, he paused to give the little creature a pinch of fish flakes first. "Stay!"

* * *

><p>Roxanne couldn't believe that not one station had a reporter at the actual site of the battle. Everybody used to broadcast directly from Metro Man and Megamind's fights. They all knew it was safe. So what was happening today that was different? A couple of newscasters had placed themselves in areas where the damage had already been done and from where the two contestants had clearly moved on, and there seemed to be a lot of wreckage. Her own station's reporter was doing his coverage closer to the downtown area than the others and had caught a live shot of Hal flying overhead, using his laser vision very recklessly. It almost looked like he was purposefully being destructive. Explosions could be heard in the background. People were running along the street. It was not at all a typical scene from one of Metro City's hero-villain battles. She frowned. What was he doing? Titan was supposed to be the hero. And where was Megamind? Turning off the TV, she had a bad feeling things weren't going according to plan. <em>It might have been my idea he used, but this is his mess.<em>

The doorbell rang. Then it rang again. Then again and again as the button was pushed frantically. Annoyed, she walked out and looked through the peephole. _Oh no…what is he doing here? _She opened the door as far as the chain would allow, feeling him pressing against it on the other side.

"What do you want?"

"Titan's turned evil!"

With a roll of her eyes, she reminded him that she'd called it already. "Congratulations! Another one of your genius plans has backfired on you! And why did my doorman let you up?" she asked in annoyance.

Resignedly, he reached through the gap and held up the small blue cube, hearing her gasp.

"Carlos…!" She took it and clenched her jaw. _How dare he dehydrate that harmless old man! He would never hurt a fly!_ She began pushing the door closed on him with all her might.

"Please, Roxanne! NO! No, I need your help!" he pleaded.

She stopped. _This had better not be a trick_. "Why do you need _my_ help?" She heard Megamind sigh just as it occurred to her Minion was absent.

"Because you're the smartest person I know."

The fact that the man she had heard for years bragging about being a genius and criminal mastermind with intelligence light years beyond any mere human brain had just asked for her help caused her to pause. The dejection she could hear in his voice also suggested he thought she probably wouldn't believe him. She found herself taking the chain off the door and watched him rush past her toward the notes he'd helped her put up. "Well, you can't hide here…" _Nice, Roxanne. Kick him while he's down. Look at his suit! Even the cape's missing. What have those two been doing_? Megamind was muttering about copper and looking at the rest of the card structure. "What? Copper? You're not making any sense." Metro Man had been affected by copper, but why would Hal? Surely Megamind wouldn't just assume all heroes had a weakness to that particular metal just because Wayne did.

He turned to her. "Look, if we don't find Titan's weakness, he'll destroy the whole city!"

As they turned to look out the window at the smoke rising ominously, sirens blaring in the distance, they saw it at the same time - their reflections next to each other, staring back at them in the glass.

_Look at us._ It was the first time he'd ever seen himself standing beside her, no illusions or disguises to hide behind, and any hope he'd had that she would agree to help him faded further_. Look at me. Why would she want me? Blue, bald alien…and a rat as well. I show up after another failed plan, after last night's fiasco, asking for help, looking like a loser all the way around. _She was his best hope though._ Come on, Roxanne, please help me. There isn't anybody else._

He wasn't pretending anything at the moment. _This time it's really just him_. Seeing him standing beside her, she was a little shocked at just how different they were. She was so used to him, she never thought much about his skin color or his big head – those things didn't bother her. _Well, obviously. With all that making out we did, I can hardly deny I'm attracted to his differences. I think I like him better this way than as Bernard._ She remembered standing on the bridge in the park with Bernard, smiling into the water at their reflection. They had just been agreeing how well they'd worked together and enjoyed each other's company. _We do work well together. He helped me, and now he's asking me... I do know Hal. Didn't I say I wanted to do something to save the city?_ "Ok... How can I help?"

Surprised, he jumped on the offer before she could change her mind. "We need answers. You knew Metro Man best. Did he have a secret hideout? A cave? A solitary fortress of some kind? Anything that could give us clues?"

_He wants information on Wayne? Ok, I guess that's because he's given Hal the same kind of powers Metro Man had. _Megamind wasn't the only super she'd ever tried to track down, and Wayne's safe place had been much easier to find although she really didn't have a reason to return there once she'd figured out where it was. She had been able to speak to him whenever she wanted to. "Well, there is one place I know of."

"Really?" It was amazing to him how she always managed to find these things out. "Great! Let's go." He turned to leave.

"Wait a minute." She started toward her bedroom. "Let me get my shoes first."

As he looked down and noticed her house slippers, a distinctly familiar whistling sound made him glance out the window nervously. "You look fine to me," he grabbed her hand tried to head toward the door, but she pulled away from him.

"Hey!" she protested. "It's not about how I look. I need my sho-"

"Roooxieeeee…!"

An unpleasant shiver ran down his spine. Turning a paler shade of blue, he stepped very close to her and reached for her hand again, gripping it tightly as he looked in her eyes, trying to convey how serious the situation was. "I have to get you out of here… now," he hissed desperately, hoping Titan would not hear.

She knew who was outside, and she'd never seen Megamind act this way before. It was the first time she'd seen actual fear in his eyes, and it scared her. Without a word, she followed him as quickly as she could out the front door. They heard another blast and felt the building tremble just as Megamind swiftly closed the door behind them.

"ROXANNE!" Hal was obviously in a rage. Every instinct she had was screaming at her to run to the elevator, to try to get away, but Megamind stopped her with an arm across her body, pressing her back against the wall behind himself. He looked back at her and shook his head silently, pointing to his ear. If they as much as sneezed, he would hear them. Standing there trying not to breathe, listening to Hal rummaging through the apartment, Roxanne was struck by the incongruity of the city's baddest criminal trying to protect her from the man who was supposed to be a new hero.

Crashing and thuds made her cringe, but she stayed as still as she could, hanging onto his leather-gloved hand tightly and watching him concentrate on the noise inside, his body shielding hers, poised to spring into action if necessary. It seemed as though her brain knew who was who because she felt the same way with him now as she always had with Bernard. _Why couldn't I figure it out? I could've saved myself a lot of pain. _With a startling revelation, she realized her mind had been working on the problem all along_. Those dreams I had!… stupid dreams... I should have paid more attention_.

She closed her eyes, smelling dust and smoke along with the usual scent of leather that hung around him. Trying to ignore the feelings being stirred up by being close to him again, she focused instead on what had happened at the restaurant. After what seemed like ages, the noise inside stopped and everything became quiet. Satisfied that Hal had left, Megamind let go of her hand and looked down, surprised how strong her grip had been. He saw blood on her fingers. "What happened? Are you okay?" He took her hand and tried to examine it, wondering if she's been cut on one of his spikes. "…Roxanne!" He grimaced, thinking it was his fault. Jerking her hand back, she held up the cut finger. The pressure of their hands clasped together had opened the gash and caused it to bleed again.

"It's fine. Just an accident…a cut I got earlier." Watching him try to compose himself, she frowned at him, wishing he didn't seem to care about her so much. It was hard to stay angry, and she still wanted to be angry about last night. "Let's go, ok? That creeped me out."

He looked back at the door to her apartment and wondered about the extent of the damage inside. "You're not the only one…" he murmured as they left.


	18. My Old Shoolhouse

_You know... I really believed that summer would mean more chances to sit down and write. BOY, was I wrong! I wanted to learn more about being a writer, and learning how to carve out time to write seems to be a big challenge in itself. I've also learned sleep is actually necessary for proper functioning. You can't stay awake when sensible people are asleep, sneaking out of bed to write into the wee hours and not pay for it later with brainrot or stupid plot lines. I'm sorry for the amount of time passing between updates here. The good news is I also have the next chapter nearly ready and hope to start the one that comes after that today (if possible... you have no idea how often I say that). There are several other fics I'd like to add on to also and one I'd like to start, but summer has got me by the short hairs. I hope all of you readers are having wonderful summer fun or winter fun for our friends south of the equator - hello, Australia! especially NSW~ I miss you! Happy birthday weekend, America! Belated happy birthday, Canada! Happy reading, all! Sincere apologies for any grammar, spelling, missing words, mistakes. Heartfelt thanks to my beta who is also a busy gal, but puts up with me and patiently tries to help, quietly head-desking as I still manage to screw things up. ;)_

_**Updated note**: I *love* it when people leave reviews that show they're really thinking about the story! Oh! You guys make me so happy! :D I had to come back and mention the pronunciation bit. No, I'm not really following canon precisely. It's funny that one wonderful reviewer (thank you!) mentioned the commentary which explains that Megs' words get confused because of his lack of education, and yet many people accept the comic books' high school themes involving him, Roxanne, and Metro Boy as canon as well. I have a problem with both, but mostly with the first. He is supposed to be a genius for one thing, and I'm sure he figured out how to use a dictionary (although his ego may have very well have led him to dispute it's authority at times). Also, living in a prison would not have isolated him from TV or other people. He would have heard English spoken. We learn to speak much more by hearing a language than by formal education in it. Many children (of the usual intelligence, not even geniuses) can learn English as a second language through watching television, so I think even without formal schooling, Megs could easily have known how to say all those words correctly and just been using the mispronunciations to annoy people. An exception might be the word "melancholy" which I would explain away by saying it is a word that first, you'd rarely hear spoken, and second, he might have disputed the pronunciation guide for or just preferred the sound of it **his** way. lol I thought this was a fun explanation for his funny way of saying things and even a likely one, although certainly not the only one out there. One other consideration is that once he began using those odd pronunciations, they became a habit he didn't bother to break, such as always referring to the city as 'Metrocity', although we see that when he wants to, he can correct himself such as when he says "school" very carefully to Roxanne in the park. Thank you again! You people are just **fun**!_

* * *

><p>Once they reached the lobby, Roxanne insisted on rehydrating Carlos.<p>

"All right, but hurry," Megamind reluctantly agreed. Titan's attack and their near escape had unsettled his nerves even more, and he was anxious to get her out of the building as quickly as possible.

When Carlos reappeared in front of them, he briefly took in his surroundings with wondering eyes and then, spotting Megamind, reached for his firearm again. Roxanne held up her hand. "Carlos, wait! It's ok!" Perplexed, he listened to her explain that Megamind was not there to invade the building or kidnap her. Seeing the 'little blue guy' standing calmly in front of him looking almost apologetic, he relaxed a little, feeling disappointed about the kidnapping part. The sneaky villain had managed to snatch Ms Ritchie so many times from right under his nose, he would have liked the chance to stop him for once. "You have to leave, Carlos. This new hero… he's no hero! He's a deranged maniac. He was in my apartment just now, and he may come back here looking for me again. You have to go. Get out of the building, and tell everyone else to get out."

Residents were trying to pass through the lobby even as they stood by the entrance desk talking. Cautious people keeping an eye on the special news reports had already decided to leave town. Others were gathering together to gossip and speculate, worried by the trembling of the building and loud noises they'd just heard. Several turned around and fled back into the elevator when they spotted Megamind, but bolder residents tentatively stood their ground, seeing him quietly consulting with their doorman and the city's well-known reporter. An uneasy murmuring began as the group grew larger. TV reports were updating the extent of Titan's acts of wanton destruction, and since the citizenry was conditioned to blame the city's woes on the blue alien and he appeared harmless enough at the moment, they were emboldened to begin griping about this new threat being his fault somehow. Megamind heard the noise of discontent growing and looked back, noticing the unhappy faces staring his way. Placing one hand meaningfully on his gun, he patted it casually, and the grumbling abated. He took Roxanne's arm in his other hand. "Let's go."

She was still trying to convince Carlos to leave. "Miss Ritchie… my job is to stay here and protect this building. No matter what he's done," he glanced uneasily at Megamind, "I'm gonna do my job!"

"That's what I'm trying to tell you! Megamind's not the threat. Titan is! And he…"

"Roxanne, leave it. The only villain they know is me. But we have to go."

She looked at him and at her dedicated doorman then turned to the muttering residents. "You all need to leave the building! Titan may come back." People looked at each other and the sound of confused babbling increased again at the mention of the unfamiliar new character. One of Roxanne's neighbors quickly became the focus of the group as she excitedly began telling about seeing the strange, new, super-powered man approach the building and look in the windows just before all the noise had started.

"Roxanne… now!" Megamind impatiently pulled her arm.

She finally acquiesced and quickly walked with him out of the building. Luckily the news van was parked on the street nearby, but Megamind hurried her along and kept up a vigilant search of the sky and street until they were inside it. In the habit of being mindful of her passengers, she automatically looked over and noticed he hadn't used his seatbelt. "Aren't you going to buckle up?"

"Huh?" With so many concerns crowding his mind and hoping the brute wasn't lurking nearby watching the vehicle, her question didn't register immediately. He looked down at his spike-studded belt. "Oh. No, I never do. There are a lot of times I need to exit a vehicle quickly, and they always get in the way."

"Well, you know, if you're ever in an accident without a seatbelt, you might be exiting the vehicle a lot more quickly than you ever intended."

Seeing him check the mirrors and glance behind them again, she sighed and realized he wasn't listening and decided it wasn't worth the effort at the moment to demand he "click it" before they leave. As the van pulled away from the curb, putting distance between them and the apartment building, he finally began to settle down and stopped trying to look in every direction at once.

"So I assume you created this monstrosity?"

He looked over at her, surprised she was even asking. "You know I did. But he wasn't meant to be a monstrosity," he complained with a wave of his hand. "He was supposed to be Metrocity's new hero!"

"So what happened? Why is he doing this?"

_A hell of a lot, that's what happened_. _And none of it according to plan_. He didn't want to tell her about purposely provoking Hal by revealing how he'd fooled him with the Space Dad disguise since she obviously wasn't a fan of his watch's special features either. And bragging about dating her would probably really tick her off, so he simply said, "He decided being a hero was 'too much hard work'." He emphasized each word in disgust. "Can you believe that? After all the training we did. Two weeks of work! Two weeks of putting up with his moronic… I never could get him to banter, the imbecile! Everything was ready for today. He could have had it all!"

_He was training Hal to be a hero? The villain was _training_ the hero. What the hell? If Megamind is supposedly evil to the core, how could he even know what a hero is supposed to be_? Just as telling was the fact that Hal had to be taught the right way to act. He'd been a horrible choice.

"And then! Then he tells me he wants to… to _team up_!"

She glanced over at him in surprise. "Team up? With you? You mean, like, be a super villain duo or something?"

"That's exactly what I mean." He wasn't about to mention the ridiculous crayon drawing Hal had made of the two of them with himself on a leash like his pet_. Just who does he think he is? __**I**__ am Metrocity's villain! And I made him!_

Flabbergasted, Roxanne gasped and blurted out, "What was he thinking? He's an idiot! He could have been the next Metro Man." Who wouldn't want to be treated the way Wayne had been?

_He was thinking he couldn't have you. It seems to drive some of us a little crazy_. "I don't know, but we have to figure out how to stop him."

"Well, how did you make him into 'Titan' in the first place? You don't just order super hero apps online and download them into some guy and hope he does the right thing."

"No, you're right. It's a little more complicated than that. It requires some… DNA manipulation."

She frowned. "DNA manipulation. Ok. So how did you do that?" Imagining Hal unconscious and incapacitated in Megamind's lair as he performed some sort of nefarious procedure on him was rather unsettling. She wasn't used to thinking of him as being that sinister, but messing around with someone's DNA sounded positively immoral, darker than his usual modus operandi.

"Ah." Instinctively he knew she wouldn't like this part. "Well. Put as simply as possible, first you need DNA extracted from a hero, and after preparing it you then inject it into a subject, wait until the strands have bonded and replicated, and then…voila!"

"Where'd you get the…" The truth hit her so hard, she almost stopped the van dead in the street. "You used _Metro Man's DNA_? That's what you put into Hal?"

"Um, that was actually your fault."

"_WHAT!_"

He cringed. Ok, maybe that wasn't a good way to explain what had actually happened. Sighing and rolling his eyes, he hoped she would hear him out this time as he began to tell about the day she found the lair and the DNA fusing gun. Roxanne listened in disbelief to the way Hal had become the subject of choice for Megamind's plan. There actually was no choice involved. It was a purely random accident.

"So you didn't actually pick him out of the thousands of Metro City's residents to be the new good guy. He just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. How did it end up that your extra special, top-secret gun was lying on the floor for me to find anyway?"

"Minion said he dropped it when the brainbots were deployed. It must have conveniently – or rather, inconveniently - fallen in your path."

She remembered seeing the odd-looking gun glowing on the ground and picking it up as 'Bernard' was carried away by the swarm of flying cyborgs. And now she also knew one piece of the puzzle - he had been disguising himself as Bernard at that time. "Where is Minion, anyway?"

Megamind sighed and looked out the window, not answering immediately. Roxanne glanced over at him just as he quietly confessed, "I don't know... We had an argument."

"Really? You had a fight? I didn't know he was even allowed to argue with you. I thought he was supposed to be completely loyal. Your henchman, your confidant, sidekick, at your beck and… call… " She glanced at him again and her words trailed away as she noticed him slumping miserably, staring out the window. She had never seen them apart. Even when Megamind spent time in prison, she assumed Minion at least stayed in contact with him somehow, since he always managed to break him out again. "Megamind?"

Blankly, he looked over at her.

"You really don't know where he is?"

"No."

_What could have happened between them_? "Don't you think we should go find him first?"

Frowning, he shook his head. "There isn't time. Titan's on a rampage. He's already tried to come after you. He's destroying the city. He has to be brought under control as quickly as possible." Looking away from her again, he added, "Minion is smart. Smarter than I give him credit for. If he doesn't want to be found, he won't be. I'll see him again when he's ready to come back." _If he's ever ready to come back. I can't believe I said I didn't need him. What will I do without him? All these things he tried to warn me about… I should have listened._

Seeing her passenger so down at the mention of his missing chum, she decided to pass on asking further questions for the moment. He was right. Their immediate concern was figuring out how to stop Hal. Hal, who now possessed not only Metro Man-like powers but the former hero's actual genes. "You know, I still can't believe you used Wayne's DNA. That's… that's a violation of his rights. His personal… genetic privacy! It's so wrong."

"And it surprises you that I would do such a thing? What have I been telling you all along?" he asked in annoyance. _I'm evil._ _Did she forget who she was talking to? Of course it was wrong. When has that ever stopped me doing anything before? Is she still under the illusion that I'm somehow good deep down inside? After last night's horrific blow up and now this?_

"How would _you_ feel if someone took _your_ DNA – _without_ your permission," she asked pointedly, glancing sharply at him, "and used it? Injected it into someone else? And they started looking like you, had your intelligence, your abilities."

"Are you saying you think I'm intelligent?" he couldn't resist asking. Her answer was a withering glance. _What a fascinating idea though_, he thought. _So what if someone used my DNA? They've already used my face on the cover of books I've never read, full of lies made up to entertain people. They dress up in giant blue head hats and capes for Halloween to scare little children. There was even that dartboard with me on it I spotted once. And the toilet paper! That was just gross. Who would want to make another me, the most hated man in the city?_ "Ok. Well, for one, Metrocity would be in a heck of a lot more trouble with two of me around, and two!" He held up a finger with a touch of his old spirit. "I'll be damned if I'm going to roll over and agree to headline as the super villain with anyone else! But… it might actually be nice." He shrugged, pretending it didn't really matter. "You know. Not to be the only one."

Startled, she didn't know how to answer. _The only one. What must it be like to be the only one of your kind in the whole world?_ Apparently it bothered him at least a little.

"Anyway… it's not as though I could have asked Wayne's permission. He was already dead." He wondered if she would be upset at him for stating it so bluntly, but she only looked thoughtful. He remembered her assurance that they had never been a couple. _Never?_ Bitterly he wondered if there really might have been hope for him after all if he hadn't screwed everything up by using Bernard as a disguise. She had been very willing to participate in those romantic moments… when he had been himself. And he suddenly recognized, thinking of their flirting in the lair, it had started even before Wayne's death! Maybe if she just understood what had led to it all. He still hadn't had a chance to explain why he'd continued the deception, and although his apology to her sleeping form had been heartfelt, he assumed she would actually want to hear one while conscious. "Um… about the other night…"

"I don't want to talk about it." With those clipped words, her body language shut up tighter than a clam. She stared fixedly ahead, her lower lip protruding slightly, brows drawn together.

He blinked at the sudden change. _Ok, closed subject._ _But if not now, when? Ever? Will you ever talk to me about it?_ Resigned, he turned to the side window again, watching the trees along the road rushing past, and trying not to think about laughing with her in the park and the sharp rush of excitement brought on by any text with her cute little 'RR' signature at the end of it. Working impatiently through the morning trainings to get to the lunches he looked forward to so much. Kissing her… that was definitely a memory to be avoided at the moment. He took a deep breath and blew it out again. Did she really mean to ignore those feelings and just throw it away? Was it too unrealistic to hope she could actually forgive him eventually? She had turned him down in no uncertain terms standing out on the street in the rain. Seeing her so upset, he couldn't find the words to explain and she'd been unwilling to discuss it at all. No doubt she had been angry, but some of the things she'd said were downright… mean. Of all the insults he'd ever had hurled his way, none had stung more than hearing her ask if he really thought she'd ever be with him… when she already had! Surely she'd only said that to hurt him. He swallowed hard at the memory of it, knowing she had really wanted Bernard. _Look, concentrate on one thing at a time here. Let's deal with Titan first, then we'll get to this. Maybe._

They were headed to the outskirts of town, still near the lake's shore. It was an area where the sand had pushed inland and grown into hard packed dunes, hardly used by anyone except dedicated hikers taking the single narrow path that wound along the beach past the barren hills on the way to more interesting sights. Tourists and the city's residents tended to visit the larger dunes further down the shore where sledding was popular summer and winter. Roxanne steered the van down a narrow access road. The city was still visible behind them even in this secluded place.

"So, about stopping Hal." She turned her own thoughts away from the painful subject looming over them, glancing over to see if he was paying attention. The hangdog expression on his face as he looked back at her made her heart ache despite her determined efforts to remain indignant. Fighting a reckless impulse to reach over and touch him, to soothe the hurt she saw in his eyes and reassure him she wouldn't be mad forever, it was easy to guess what he'd been thinking about. _I don't hate him… I just…_

"Yes. Back to that." Clearing his throat, he sat up straighter.

"So… what do we do?"

"Just what we are now. We look for information, and then I formulate a plan based on what we find. I need to know why the copper that was Metro Man's downfall didn't affect Titan at all. I need to find his Achilles heel. Knowing if Wayne had any other weaknesses would be helpful. Knowing if the de-gun will work on Titan even though it never worked on Wayne would be useful too, although I'm not sure how to find that out just yet."

She glanced over toward the filigreed pistol, but it was on the other side of him. "You know, this could take a lot of time. And in the meantime, he's back there practically leveling the city!"

"Well, I'm open to suggestions! What else can I do, Roxanne?"

"You gave him these powers. Can't you just take them away?" Even to her own ears, it sounded too simplistic. Once DNA strands were fused together, how could they be separated again in a living person? How had he encouraged Wayne's DNA to attach to Hal's in the first place? Did Titan now have three genetic strands instead of two? Or even more? Just speculating on the whole concept was bewildering. She had no idea what was possible or where to begin, but Megamind had figured it out. Didn't he have a way to undo the process?

_Of course that would be the easiest method._ _Well, maybe not easy. _Apparently the bolus had lodged in Hal's nose._ I'll just ask nicely. Come here, Titan, and hold still while I shove this gun up your nostril and pull the trigger._ "I can't," he admitted, making her briefly fear there was no hope that Hal would ever be returned to his usual state of relatively harmless immaturity. "I lost my de-fuser gun when I misplaced the invisible car. The night you dumped me." He shifted uncomfortably. "Alone. In the rain."

_Wow, I really hurt him_. He sounded so forlorn about it, she nearly relented of refusing to discuss the situation. _No. Damn it, I have a right to be angry! This was just last night! I don't care how sad he is. He's going to have to wait until I'm ready to talk about it._

"Did you ever look back?" he asked plaintively.

"No!"

Slamming on the brakes, she cringed at seeing him slam into the front windscreen. _Well, that ought to teach him to wear a seatbelt. Seems he's got a lot of lessons to learn._ She watched him as he opened the door and stumbled from the van, holding his head. But he never protested, didn't yell at her, made no insults or jibes about 'women drivers' like many men she knew would immediately come up with. He just took it, like always, and instead of feeling vindicated, she felt immediately remorseful. _Why do I keep trying to hurt him? After he killed Wayne and we kissed, I felt guilty, and I wanted to punish him then too – to make him pay for it. Last night I said the worst things I could think of to make him feel bad. Even with what he did… this isn't right. I shouldn't be doing this. _Deep down she knew it made her no better than he had been for lying to her, and she resolved to stop from then on.

"So this is where he hid it… after all these years... my old shoolhouse…" Overwhelmed by a cascade of memories as he approached the little red building, the place of his initial formation as a villain, he unthinkingly slipped back into the speech patterns of his childhood. The teacher had always been extraordinarily annoyed with him for not pronouncing the word "school" correctly. It was one of those odd Greek origin words confused by a Germanic appearing trigraph that he'd puzzled out the pronunciation of on his own. He was sure the dictionary had been wrong. That 'sch' was most certainly supposed to be said 'sh'. By the time he was enrolled, he'd been saying it incorrectly for so long (having been reading independently since he was an infant) that saying it _his_ way had proven a hard habit to break. He'd tried to remember over and over, wanting to please his teacher and childishly hoping that maybe if he could just get it right she would stop hating him. But he often forgot, and she never forgave him his mistakes, ever. Then after he realized being the bad boy was his lot in life, the memory of her extreme annoyance over his mispronunciations caused him to purposefully cultivate a few more. Wayne for one had been very satisfactorily goaded by the rhyming of his beloved city's name with 'atrocity'.

No one exploring the small building would have suspected it was anything other than an old abandoned schoolhouse in a very unlikely location, and he fleetingly wondered if Roxanne had made a mistake. The front door even creaked as it swung open. Although the place was emptied of books and toys, everything else appeared much the way it had been on his last day there, only dustier, and he was dismayed at how discouraged he felt at finding himself in this place again – small, despised, beaten down – almost as though he was still six years old. He looked at the desk where he had sat down each morning, determined to forget the previous day's mistakes and try again. The other students as much as his teacher had made his failures very hard to forget.

"Are you okay?"

He jumped at the sound of Roxanne's voice. Caught up in his musings, he'd nearly forgotten she was there. Concern evident on her face, he wondered how long he'd been standing there, staring and thinking.

"Yes! Yes." He looked around. "Are you sure this is the place?"

"Yeah," she answered, carefully peering at the walls, pushing here and there as she searched for a hidden entrance. "I saw him go in and out quite a bit. Obviously he didn't spend much time in this part of the building, so there has to be more. Underground maybe?"

Megamind watched skeptically as she walked toward the supply closet in the corner, next to where he'd often stood, nose to the corner in shame while his classmates first snickered and then ignored him. Toward the end of his time there, the teacher had taken to actually putting him inside the closet for punishment instead. Having realized that no one was going to stand up for him, she treated him however she pleased. Any small excuse was sufficient to put him out of her sight, preferring to pretend the scrawny blue boy with the oversized head wasn't part of her perfect, gifted class. Roxanne entered the closet, and beyond her he saw another door that he knew had not been there before. She cautiously opened it and looked back at him, brows raised in a silent 'I told you so'. A tightly winding staircase led down out of sight.

She let him go first, wondering about his reaction to this odd little building. This had been his school as well as Wayne's, at least for a short time. She knew the official story of what had happened, having come across it in her initial research on the intriguing blue criminal at the beginning of her career. Megamind had been a troublemaker from the start apparently. The climax of his menacing that had made the news was when he damaged the school with some kind of homemade bomb, turning everything and everyone as blue as he was. Wayne had saved the teacher and his classmates from further attacks by moving the entire building, effectively expelling Megamind from school as well. She always wondered how the parents reacted to the relocation of their exclusive little academy. Due to it's hidden location and judging by his reaction, she guessed Megamind hadn't been back since then. Why did he seem so upset if he had hated the place to the point of trying to blow it up?

"So… you went to school here too?" They'd reached the bottom of the steps and were walking along a long unlit corridor that led to a single door.

"Uh huh..."

"With Wayne."

He didn't answer, didn't even look at her. _He's totally thrown by being here. Whatever memories he has of this place are pretty important to him._ _He is not acting at all like himself – I've never seen him so subdued. I wish he'd snap out of it._ Watching his face, she began to wonder how she could bring him out of his apparent stupor.

"You know… I think there's an apology in order for the other night." _That ought to get his attention._

A door was just ahead and he walked quicker, almost jogging to it, intent on opening it. He was reaching for it even as he answered distractedly, "Ok, that would be nice, but make it quick. We have much more pressing matters to deal with…"

She rolled her eyes at his presumption. _Guess that didn't work! Wow, he's totally deluded if he thinks I'm going to start the apologies_. On second thought, she ruefully conceded that maybe she would eventually have to own up to her own cruel words.

The first thing Roxanne noticed inside the hidden accommodations was that the lights were still on. _They've probably been on since the day he died. I should have come here and taken care of things. Didn't his parents even know about this place? _It was a very plush, well-appointed living space decorated in Metro Man's signature white and gold colors, its dimensions much larger than the shabby wooden building sitting above it. Every nook and cranny was filled with a massive collection of Metro Man memorabilia. Outfits, awards, photographs, and musical equipment lined the walls. _Musical equipment? I didn't even know he played._ Megamind became totally engrossed in examining one of the capes.

"Oh...! I remember when he wore _that_."

"Shouldn't we try to stay focused here?"

"Yes! Of course! Right, focused..."

Walking around, she was struck by the atmosphere of the place. It still felt occupied. Most abandoned dwellings immediately struck one with a deep sense of emptiness, but maybe due to the lights being left on… or something… _It's almost like he's still here. It must be all his stuff surrounding us. Boy, Wayne. Can we say "self-obsessed"?_ She shook her head at an over-sized picture of his face on a wall, then turned around and noticed something odd. "Look at this!"

"What is it! What did you find?" Excitedly he ran toward her too fast and skidded to the floor at her feet. He jumped up again, waiting breathlessly for her to explain while his eyes darted here and there, searching for what she might have found. Nothing immediately visible seemed like anything out of the ordinary.

_What is he doing wearing that cape? Megamind is wearing Metro Man's cape. Wow. That's…_ She shook her head at the implications, especially as they were now working to stop Hal, and squatted next to a small table. "Um... look! This glass has _ice cubes_ in it!"

That was it? He was a little disappointed. Usually Roxanne's investigating skills were much more acute. "Yes. That's what happens when water gets cold." With a sideways glance he wondered if it was too much for her being here. Maybe she was more affected by Wayne's passing than he thought. Getting excited about some ice he'd left in a glass was a little fan-girlish for someone of Roxanne's sophistication.

"No! What I'm _saying_ is, don't you think it's a little _odd_ the ice hasn't melted yet?"

"One of life's great mysteries…" _Maybe I should have come down here alone. I think this is affecting her too much. She's really not making sense now and…_

They heard the floor creak at the same time and straightened up in alarm. Roxanne felt the hair on the back of her neck rise as they turned in unison, dreading what might be behind them.

"Hey."


	19. Painful Past in a Photograph

_LionshadeSC... your reviews are so cute! Can't reply to you, so I thought I'd let you know here... I promise to finish this fic. :) Yes, I will. It's taking some time, but I will do it! Don't give up on me. Thanks, dear!_

_To all you awesome reviewers... gosh, you people lift me up. Thank you so much. :) _

* * *

><p>"You're alive?… You're alive!"<p>

"I'm alive."

"But… but…we saw your _skeleton_! You were dead!"

"Are you a ghost? Speak, apparition…"

"There had better be an... _amazing_ explanation for this!"

Looking uncomfortably from one to the other, Wayne Scott felt the first serious pangs of guilt. Giddiness at his newfound freedom had blinded him to how hard his presumed death might be on those closest to him. Of course he'd made sure his mother and father knew the truth. He wasn't that callous. Despite how vehemently they protested his decision, they were eventually coerced into keeping his secret by the threat of him cutting off all contact with them. But now he'd been found out.

"Ok… Ok, ok, ok. You both deserve the truth." As Wayne explained what had happened the day Megamind's Death Ray caused his apparent demise, he discreetly wondered what turn of events that had caused the unconventional pair seated before him to start working together. He knew about their hidden feelings for each other, but it hadn't seemed possible the two would ever find a way to make it work.

Roxanne had never wanted anything more from Metro Man than sound bites, interviews, and dibs on any story. At first he had found her ability to remain completely unimpressed by him baffling. His initial attempts at flirting were taken in stride, assumed into that self-assured manner with nary a ripple made in her composure. Dramatic rescues she accepted as her due. His dashing good looks she ignored. She even knew the family he belonged to but never showed an interest in their important name or considerable wealth. Eventually he gave up, amicably considering her a friend and content to let the citizenry make its assumptions to their mutual benefit.

Then he made a unexpected discovery at the scene of one of Megamind's plans in progress. Stealthily dropping in for some reconnaissance before making his grand entrance, his super hearing picked up the sound of the villain and his victim talking... were they arguing? No… it sounded more like banter and… flirting! Oh yes, the sassy reporter was trying to make it seem as though she was annoyed, and being tied up for the umpteenth time probably helped lend an air of authenticity to her tone. Megamind parried her slights as though he enjoyed being insulted by her. His responses were far more openly seductive although veiled by his usual villainous manner. And Roxanne was eating it up. She continued holding up her end of the game very well when she certainly didn't have to. He listened for several long moments then silently retreated, no doubt in his mind that he'd witnessed something significant. Those two may have been on opposite sides of the law, but they might as well have been on opposite sides of a bed from what he could tell! And now here they were together, sitting side by side, wide-eyed as he finished explaining what had happened that fateful day by revealing his plans to break in to the music industry.

"And Music Man was born!"

"Music Man…?"

"That way I could keep my logo."

"Cause of wha-?"

"Come again?"

"I was finally free to get in touch with my _true power_. Weaving lyrical magic… Check this out." Treating them to a sneak-peek performance of the best song in his repertoire, it quickly became apparent their outrage wasn't going to be soothed by his musical gifts.

"You're horrible!"

"Granted you have talent! But there's a madman out there destroying our… _your_ city!" He wasn't very good, but Megamind knew this was no time for brutally honest critiques. He had to persuade Wayne to use his powers to help them, even if only temporarily. As he stared at the massive man who gazed back at him unmoved, Roxanne hurled musical equipment in a rage, missing the unspoken exchange that passed between the two former schoolmates right before her eyes.

"How could you _do_ this? The people of Metro City relied on you, and you deserted them! You left us in the hands of… _him_!" She glanced at Megamind, suddenly mindful of her earlier resolution. "No offense!"

"No! I'm with you." Appealing to the ex-hero point blank, he finally admitted, "Look... we need your help."

Wayne set down his guitar. If he went back now, he'd never be able to leave again. Worst of all, everybody would know he'd lied. There was nothing on Earth that could make him want to face up to that and leave a black mark on the perfect legacy Metro Man had left behind. "I'm sorry. I really am. Um, I… I'm done." Seeing his old foe's big green eyes staring back at him in disbelief, he was reminded of their days at school and how the little blue kid had always tried so hard to do things right before he finally gave in to playing the part he seemed suited to best. "You know, little buddy, there's a yin for every yang. If there's bad, good will rise up against it." _He's even wearing my cape! Eh, I'll let him keep it, _he thought, feeling generous_. Maybe it'll help give him the idea._ Straightening the garment, he realized not for the first time that Megamind simply wasn't that bad. He knew how to play the role, but as for really being black-hearted and evil? "It's taken me a long time to find my calling. Now it's about time… you find yours."

Roxanne looked from one to the other. She couldn't believe what she was hearing. What was Wayne talking about? What did he think Megamind's true calling was? Was he confirming her suspicions? Maybe she wasn't the only one who knew about the hidden side of the blue genius hinted at by his filigreed gun. Megamind seemed just as shocked by what Wayne was implying as she was.

"Whoever this 'madman' is… I'm sure you can take him down. I know you have it in you." Wayne turned the dazed, blue alien around by the shoulders and began firmly steering him toward the door.

"Wayne! You don't understand!"

"Now, Roxanne," he chided, his condescending tone grating her nerves. "Have a little faith in our friend here."

"Friend?" Megamind huffed as he was gently shoved along.

"Hey," Wayne chuckled, "you nearly even had _me_ a few times! This guy should be no problem!"

"You're not going to do _anything_, are you?" Roxanne couldn't believe this man who had always claimed the entire purpose of his life was to defend the helpless was wishing them luck and pushing them out the door. But that's exactly what he did, and they heard the lock click behind them.

Megamind stood staring for several long moments, his thoughts in turmoil. _He tricked me. I can't believe it. He never did have a weakness to copper or anything else. It was all part of this fairytale we created. Making up the rules of the game like a couple of kids. Except now he doesn't want to play. Meanwhile I've created an unstoppable menace on the assumption that he understood the the rules of the game too, and that I could keep him under control if necessary. What a fool I've been. How can I stop a villain even more dangerous than I am? What we need is a hero... and he's back there, still alive, and won't even help us. What about all his claims of standing for justice and defending the weak? How do those convictions just go away? I guess he was lying then, too..._

Roxanne followed Megamind back out the way they'd come in, watching him apprehensively. He looked bitter and confused. She wondered if maybe he felt the way she had last night, and although it was tempting to find satisfaction in thinking so, she couldn't. He was completely shaken. So disturbed that, at the base of the steps, she reached for his arm. "Megamind."

He looked down at her hand touching him before looking at her. She looked worried, and he knew she should be since Hal seemed to have her in his sights. _And I can't protect her._ "I'm sure you probably agree with him, Roxanne, about what I should do… but I can't. I can't be the hero." He looked away from her. "And you should stay here for your own safety."

"What? No way. Look, if Wayne thinks you can do this –"

"What about you?" He asked suddenly. What must she think of him now? After last night it seemed things couldn't get worse, but now he'd been brought even lower right in front of her. And yet, he still wanted to know if there was a chance, couldn't stop himself from wanting her. Taking a step closer, he softly touched her face the way he had in her room, searching her eyes. "Is this what you want too? To change me? Would that make you happy?" Everyone wanted him to be something different, so why not her too? "What if I go out there… and I _don't_ defeat Titan?"

Torn between her pride that wouldn't let her either trust or forgive him yet and the memories of what those same caresses had led to before, she swallowed as she stared back at him. The attraction between them seemed to crackle in the air, but she really had no idea anymore what she wanted, or who he was, or what was happening at all. Not defeating Titan could mean...death, and at the very least she knew she didn't want him to die. She dropped her gaze first, and slowly his hand dropped away as well.

_Why would she want me..._ "I didn't think so."

Climbing the stairs, they reached the classroom once again, and he stopped. _This is where it all began_, Megamind thought gazing at the scene of his first education in what he had truly believed was his destiny. _Wayne was the one that showed me who I am, forced me to accept what my purpose in life was. Whether I wanted to be the bad boy or not, I _was_ the bad boy. The only reason he's telling me to go fight Titan is because he… he's bored of it all. Bored of being a hero? I can't believe he's giving up._ He slowly shuffled out of the small building, disappointed in Wayne and Hal and in himself. _Well, he's not going to get me to play his part for him! I'm no hero, and I never could be._ He knew he had no way to stop Hal. _Yes… this is where it all began... and this is where it all ends. _Roxanne was saying something about ray guns and trying to take Titan on without Metro Man's help.

"We can't." Realizing he was still wearing the white cape, he shrugged it off, letting it fall in the dirt.

"So, you're just giving up?"

Crossly, he turned to look at her. Would she ever give up thinking he could be anything other than evil? "I'm the bad guy. I don't save the day. I don't fly off into the sunset… And I _don't_ _get the girl_." He knew giving up meant the end of more than his career, but there wasn't enough hope left in him to even consider their strained relationship viable anymore. At least as a super villain he commanded some respect. But now... no matter how much he loved her, he couldn't face having nothing left to offer. "I'm going home…" Striding away, he wondered hopelessly where Minion might be. _I can't go back to that empty lair. I just can't_. Trying to recall the location of the last bus stop they'd passed on the way out of town, he reached back to reassure himself the de-gun was still in its holster. Some unlucky bus driver was going to be persuaded to take him on a short, direct trip back to where he belonged.

Roxanne wanted to tell him that he had to try, to call out to him to wait. The words wouldn't come out of her open mouth. What was happening? The world she knew was upside down. Wayne was alive. He'd lied… lied! The man of truth and justice had tricked the whole city into thinking he was dead so he could ditch them all! And was he implying Megamind should assume the role he had given up? What did Wayne know that she didn't? She stooped to pick up the cape lying on the ground. Obviously Megamind was as floored by this turn of events as she was, and not only had he refused to take up the hero's mantle, he was giving up entirely! Her captor, the self-confident genius who never gave up, who took on the most hopeless challenge over and over, laughing and apparently enjoying it even though he always lost… was walking away. She stood looking after the slender black and blue form until he was nearly out of sight. Her hands clenched the silky, star-studded fabric at she watched the smoke rising above the skyline. _This is ridiculous! Somebody has to do something. And if those two won't, I will._ She strode back to the schoolhouse and pushed the door hard, feeling like kicking it open instead. With a resolute scowl, she made her way determinedly back to the underground apartment of the ex-hero.

* * *

><p>Pounding on the door, she intended to wear him down until he agreed to talk. "Wayne… I'm not leaving! Let me in. I need answers. Megamind's given up." Silence. "I've got no where else to go! I can stay out here forever and bug the crap out of you, or you can let me in and we can talk and I'll go away." Nothing. "You rotten liar! You <em>owe<em> this to me! Let me in!" Finally she decided to throw her weight around where she knew it would affect him most. "_Fine_. I know where you live now. And it doesn't matter if you move it fifty times, I found you once and I can find you again. And guess what! In the meantime, I'm headed to my office. They are going to _ab-sol-ute-ly love_ this story! Hero abandons the city he swore to defend! Metro Man fakes his death to start a career as MUSIC MAN! The man of truth is a BIG… FAT…" The door opened and Wayne stood looking down at her coolly.

"Thanks a lot." She pushed past him, quickly taking in all of his prominently displayed personal tributes again. Should a hero really be so self-interested? As he closed the door and reluctantly turned toward her, she demanded, "Why did you suggest Megamind could go out and take Hal on himself?"

"Who's Hal?"

Throwing up her hands in frustration, she asked, "Haven't you even bothered to keep up with what's happening in the city? _Your_ city?" She gestured around the room. "Really, have you ever cared beyond thinking about what you get out of it?" He looked at her blankly. "Where is your TV remote?"

She flipped through the channels quickly, showing him the news at a glance. Smoke rose from fires burning in several places, damage to buildings was extensive in the downtown area, a water main had burst in one part of town, and traffic was backed up as people tried to leave the city. Police, fire fighters, and rescue personnel were thin on the ground due to Megamind's previous reign and the paralyzing fear Titan's current menacing produced. Finally they managed to catch a report that included a few shots of the reprehensible man in tights flying over the city, laser vision carving up everything in his path, an expression of wicked glee clearly visible on his face. Roxanne looked at Wayne and waited.

"Whoa." He glanced at her. "You mean he…"

"Yeah, he has the same powers you have."

"Megamind did this?" He was perplexed wondering why his little blue buddy would have created another villain.

"No! Well, yes... but he was trying to train Hal to be the new _hero_ of Metrocity. I mean Metro City." Wayne silently noted her slip. "He got bored of ruling the city, and he wanted someone to fight since you were gone. He honestly believes good and evil need each other." She frowned at him. "And do you have any idea what you put us through? Thinking you were dead?" She suddenly gasped and wondered aloud, "What about your parents?"

He winced slightly. "Uh, they know."

"They KNOW? What about the funeral?" They had been so kind, trying to help her feel better. "Oh, no wonder..." She felt like an idiot, standing there crying over a lost fake boyfriend, being comforted by his parents who knew all along that he wasn't even dead! Putting her hands over her face, she shook her head. "This is such a mess." It almost made Megamind's impersonation of Bernard seem tame by comparison.

Wayne was watching the news again. "If Megs gave this guy my powers, can he take them away again?"

"Apparently not. He lost the… gun-thing he needs to do it."

"Well, knowing him, he'll just go back to his lair and make another one."

Roxanne perked up. That was it. Surely Megamind would come to the same conclusion once he got back home and settled down from the shock of finding Wayne alive and well. Maybe Minion would be back too. But the look on his face and his parting words had not been promising. "Who knows how long that could take. We need to stop this guy now. And anyway… I really don't know if he'll do it. Megamind seems to be convinced that he's incapable of doing _anything_ good."

"Well... what do you think, Roxanne?" he asked quietly. "Are you convinced that he's no good? Maybe what he needs is someone to believe in him." She didn't answer so, he pushed a little more. "What's holding you back?"

She bridled under his gaze. "What do you mean?"

"Come on, Roxie. I've seen it. There's been this incredible tension between you two for a long time, so why aren't you following through now when he needs you most?"

Scowling, she murmured, "You have no idea what's happened between us." Then she added, "And you mean besides the fact that, whoopsie, he's a super villain? And I'm on the good guys' side?"

"So, he's not good enough for you?"

She gasped. "Wayne! Give me a break! He's _Megamind_!" Wayne wasn't sure what she meant by that, but she continued. "I don't know what to make of the guy. Yeah, I see something else there, but... he confuses me… it's so… frustrating! I don't know who he is and half the time, I don't think he knows either."

Wayne thought about why that might be and ruefully agreed, "Yeah, I can see that."

"You don't really believe he's evil at all, do you?" she demanded. "Why? You're the hero! You two have been at odds forever. As far back as when you both went to school here together from what I've learned. What makes you suddenly so sure he can just turn around and be... not evil?" Part of her wanted to just give in and believe him. His claim seemed to be a lifeline for their relationship that she desperately wanted. But the reporter in her needed to hear his reasoning. She never had been one to rely on feelings and other people's opinions. She needed to know facts. Having stumbled around in the dark for so long, trying to find out just what was in Megamind's heart, she had to know how Wayne came by his certainty.

With a deep sigh, he paced away from her a few steps. He didn't really want to think about the past he and Megamind shared, let alone own up to his part in it. "We didn't get along in school, that's true. But that was… at least partly my fault." Coming to a decision, he walked to a small table and, taking a large photo from a drawer, handed it to her. It told the story at a glance. A class full of happy children grouped around the classmate they idolized, arms lying across each other's shoulders, faces wreathed in smiles. Their teacher hovered behind them, her open arms encircling the gifted class she was so proud of... coldly ignoring a single student. That one child - an under-sized, startlingly blue boy in an orange prison jumpsuit - stood apart from the others, his wide eyes staring back at her as he clutched to his chest a fishbowl containing his only friend. The strained smile he wore for the camera didn't reach his eyes. Dejection seemed to weigh him down even as he tried to stand up tall. He was clearly an outcast, but he was not the defiant character confident of his own superiority that she had watched sneer above jeering crowds. This boy had been beaten down and pushed aside, shunned until he stopped trying to join the group. He knew he wasn't wanted. Seeing that scrawny figure standing alone and forlorn, feet crossed uncertainly, wrung her heart.

"What happened to him?" she whispered, unconsciously rubbing her finger along the edge of the photo as though she could comfort the little boy and wondering at what point he had changed.

"Aw, Roxanne…" Wayne wasn't looking forward to explaining, but he knew she wouldn't do what was necessary until he told her the whole story. "He was so different from the rest of us. The teacher couldn't stand him on sight. I think she was afraid of him because he was from the prison. It probably didn't help that he was smarter than she was too." He passed a hand over his face. "I gotta say, she was a piece of work. And I… I was already the leader of my class, halfway to being a hero. I knew that's what I was supposed to do with my life. All that was missing was somebody to… be the bad guy."

Tearing her eyes away from the photo, she frowned at him. "What are you saying? _He_ suddenly turned into your nemesis? This kid?" She stabbed a finger at the picture. "How? Because he doesn't look like he belongs in time-out, let alone in a prison!"

He shrugged a little and looked away from her. "He didn't fit in anyway."

"And you certainly weren't going to help him, were you?"

"The teacher had it in for him from the beginning. She'd stand him in the corner as soon as look at him."

"Oh my gosh…"

"And he did screw up a lot! Always bringing in inventions, trying to impress everybody. Most of the time they didn't work, or blew up or -"

"So... what? What did you do? I'm sure everybody else laughed at him when he was just trying to win their friendship. But _you_, Wayne… you already thought of yourself as a hero. Did you ever stand up for him? Look what he was up against, for crying out loud! He was bald even then, and smaller than everybody else, not to mention that he's BLUE... and he had to wear prison clothes? Did they not have anything else they could put on the poor kid just for school?" Children could be so very cruel. She could imagine the torments they heaped on him if the teacher hadn't been willing to stop it.

Wayne uncomfortably recalled dodgeball games and using Minion to play 'keep away' and didn't bother to defend himself.

"You know what I think? You _liked_ keeping him down. Did that make you feel big and strong? You wanted somebody to be the bad guy so much, you didn't even care what he went through in order to make you look good."

"We were just kids -" he started to protest.

"Yeah, well, from what I see here and from what you just told me, you knew exactly what you were doing. Man, I would _love_ to know where that teacher is now. If I ever -" She stopped and closed her eyes, taking a deep breath. When she opened them again, she said, "It's no wonder he keeps insisting that he's evil. He's never been told anything else, has he? Grew up in a prison and then this." Staring down at the picture again, her face twisted in compassion. "Nobody to stand up for him. Look at the look on his face." She slowly shook her head and then rolled her eyes. "You know, I was so upset with him for messing with Hal's DNA, but at least he took somebody he _thought_ was a good person and tried to make him into a hero. You took someone who needed your help and _used _him_, _twisted the way he thinks of himself, so you could be what you wanted to be. You know what that makes you, Wayne? Evil. That is truly evil, ruining somebody's life to get what you want. And _now_... now that you don't want to be the hero anymore, you're ready to use him again. Aren't you?"

She had him pegged. Even at that young age, he really had known what he was doing was wrong. He sat down, thinking it might have been easier to just come clean to the whole city rather than listen to Roxanne nail him like this. She continued on, almost talking to herself now as much as to him.

"I have to admit, Hal was a horrible person to try to make into a hero, but I guess Megamind couldn't know that. Give somebody some power… wow, you really find out who they are." She suddenly directed a piercing gaze at him. "So what are _you_ really like on the inside, Mets? Letting somebody else take the blame for your death so you could step out? You were lucky. That little blue boy you picked to be your bad guy? I think he actually has a good heart. You do realize, don't you, that he never actually hurts anybody, even though he could and chalk it up to being a villain? Except... now he has the city's most famous murder conviction on his record. How is he supposed to live that down?" Raising an eyebrow, she added, "Unless you make sure he doesn't have to."

"Roxie… I can't."

"Oh yes, you can. And you will. I'm giving you one week to come clean about your 'death' and take that off his shoulders. I don't care how. After that, I will do it for you."

He looked at her staring him down and knew she would do exactly what she said. Roxanne wasn't one to make idle threats. She pulled no punches. "And what about you?" he asked. Apparently she hadn't yet considered her own role in keeping Megamind in his place as the city's super villain. He knew he could bring her down to his level with a few choice reminders, and the desire to call her out on it was strong, especially after the scathing dressing down he'd just endured, but something told him this wasn't the right time. She was the key to getting Megamind on track and if she was hung up on a guilt trip, it would complicate and slow things down too much. With an effort, he swallowed his pride, choosing to steer her more gently toward the conclusion he wanted her to reach.

"What do you mean?"

"Come on, Roxanne. Don't play dumb. Are you listening to yourself here? Obviously you've been thinking about him a lot. You want to help him."

"Wayne," she started to protest, but gave up. He was surprised to see her looking so unsure of herself, and he wondered again what might have happened between them. There had to have been more than that flirting he'd observed. "I don't know. After all this... am I any closer to knowing who he is? What am I supposed to do?"

"Sounds like you've got him figured out pretty well. Stop fighting it." Seeing her hesitating, he spelled it out for her. "Roxanne. You're in love with him."

She looked at the class photo again and realized no matter how complicated she might have thought he was, she hadn't come close to the truth. Megamind had been through a lot more than she could have guessed. And yet, Wayne was right. More than ever, she believed in the good, sensitive person she thought she'd glimpsed inside him, but in some ways he was now farther out of reach than he'd been before. The boy's haunted green eyes staring back at her and the fake smile on his little face broke her heart. "He was a cute kid..." her voice wavered.

Reaching over to grab a tissue, Wayne offered it to her and agreed. "He was. He still is."

She laughed a little as tears twinkled in her eyes. "You think so?"

The corner of his mouth lifted in a smile, and he winked. "No, you do." Then he nodded at the photo in her hands and offered, "You can keep that."

She sniffed and tried to hand it back. "No. Here…"

"Keep it. And do me a favor. Do everybody a favor. At least go tell him you believe in him. Obviously he's not going to listen to me. He needs you. It's about time he had something good in his life for once and a chance to be… who he can really be."

They regarded each other silently, animosity forgotten in their mutual hope for that one other person. "I hate you, Wayne." With no heat to her words, he knew she would forgive him eventually. "I wish I could throw something at you that would actually hurt you."

"I know, Roxie." He nodded impassively. "I deserve that. Now go on… Stop wasting time."

* * *

><p>As Roxanne stepped out of the schoolhouse and into the sunlight she paused, feeling drained but strangely calm. Pieces were falling into place. Her walking blue question mark was starting to make a lot more sense now. Ignoring the smoking skyline, she walked determinedly toward the news van, knowing Wayne was right. It was time Megamind had a chance to be who he really could be. Way past time. As she had walked back out the long corridor, up the winding stairs and through the schoolroom, trying to decide what to do, she had become convinced of one thing. Talking wasn't going to cut it. She'd tried that. A few words couldn't overcome an idea that had been drilled into him from the time he was a child. She had to show him what he was capable of. She would to have to force his hand. And by the time she reached the van and started it up, she knew exactly what she was going to do. It was her turn to make a hero.<p> 


	20. To Make a Hero

Spasms of fear in the pit of her stomach made her feel like she needed to pull over and be sick, but she gripped the steering wheel harder and kept driving, eyes fixed determinedly on the city she called home. Hadn't she said she wanted to help Metro City? If this didn't work, nothing would. The road downtown was clear while the lanes heading the opposite direction were so clogged, traffic had come to a standstill and many people had begun walking instead. Those same people Megamind had oppressed as their Evil Overlord needed him now.

_"You're in love with him." I can't believe Wayne said that… and I didn't even flinch. I guess he saw it too. _It was still hard to comprehend the idea that she actually could be in love with a blue-skinned alien who'd kidnapped and terrorized her for years, that she might be drawn to him by more than the chemistry of attraction. Her thoughts flitted here and there, refusing to settle into a methodical pattern. _How can I love someone I know so little about? _She thought about all the time she'd spent with 'Bernard', their discussions and arguments and the fun they'd had, and then glanced quickly at the school photo on the seat beside her_. Ok, I know a lot more now. But how does he feel about me? What if… for him, it really is just a physical attraction? Or maybe he's just latched on to the first person who has ever showed him any affection._

_No, s_he told herself firmly._ This will work. I'm sure it will. There is a basic core of good in him, I just know it. _She thought about the beautiful filigreed card he had made for her and decided that, if she got the chance, she would ask him for another one, to keep for memories. If they survived. If he came to her rescue at all. _Even when I was his "victim" he never let anything happen to me... he won't let anything happen to me now..._

_"Go tell him you believe in him"... No, Wayne, that's where you're wrong. Talking things over won't convince Megamind of anything._ She thought about his unrelenting drive to challenge Metro Man despite repeated failures and shook her head thinking of his determination to convince her he was evil while refusing to compromise his integrity, even when she'd tempted him. He was strong, and he was obstinate. _Talking was all I ever did with 'Bernard' and look how far that got me._ He had showed her how firmly he believed good and evil needed each other, and now she knew he had been conditioned from childhood to believe he was incapable of being good. He faced not only an invincible foe but having to struggle to overcome the strangle hold his painful past had on him, a past that insisted he could only ever be a villain.

His past... that photograph was burned in her mind. She didn't even need to look down to see the little boy's troubled eyes and strained smile again. And she was counting on the strength of his feelings for her being strong enough to override all of that? Her mouth went dry, thinking it hardly seemed like enough – possible romance against a homicidal superhero and a history of abuse and oppression - when really… she wasn't even completely sure of just how he felt. It was a gamble with ridiculous odds, but there was no other option. There had to be a way to stop Titan, and she knew Megamind could do it… he _needed_ to do it… if only she was bait enough to convince him to act.

* * *

><p>Minion walked into the silent lair and knew immediately that Megamind had not returned. A few brainbots appeared in the corridor and hovered close to him, bumping against him gently as though wanting reassurance after being left alone in the abandoned power plant. Having followed the news reports of all the destruction Hal was wreaking throughout the city, the faithful fish could no longer resist the urge to come to his boss's aide. Yet another plan had failed, and he felt guilty for not being there, picking up the pieces of broken machines and broken dreams as he always did.<p>

At first, holing up in the seedy little motel room after their altercation, he had hugged his anger to himself tightly, determined to let the egotistical genius flounder around for a while without his help. Let him find out just how valuable his assistance really was! But instead he had found himself facing the fact that he wanted nothing more than to be at his life-long friend's side, even if all his hard work and patient advice were rarely acknowledged.

Being Megamind's guardian and companion was what he lived for. It was the reason he'd been placed in that pod all those years ago after all. He thrived on their partnership despite being relegated to the subordinate position of 'henchman'. Imagining the days stretching on ahead of him alone was unbearable. So he had meekly returned, ready to let bygones be bygones and take up his Jeeves-like role again without complaint. But the lair was empty.

* * *

><p>Doubts crashed over her like icy waves. For a while she could hold herself above the fear, and then it would suck her down, briefly submerging her again while the sick feeling became almost overwhelming. Her palms began to sweat as she made her way further downtown. She tried taking deep, calming breaths. Hal was rough, even when he'd been convinced she would give in to his advances. And that meeting had ended with him so angry, he had abandoned her at the top of a building, nearly throwing her off. She wondered how long it would take for Megamind to come to her rescue. <em>And what if it's really true he was only trying to sleep with me? <em>She couldn't dwell on that for long, or she'd lose her nerve._ But if he wants more than that… How can I know? Wayne said… but I need facts. Where's the proof?_

All she had to go on was the time they had spent together since she'd first taken an interest in the incongruous de-gun, but she remembered the way she'd had to catch him in her apartment to make him stay. How he'd refused to force another kiss on her after the first one on the day of Wayne's pretended death, even though she'd challenged him, all but daring him to prove he was evil. She had almost hoped he would give in that night. And yet later… he had taken his time kissing her - softly, even tenderly - once she herself has initiated the contact, seeming to want to enjoy every small part of her. He'd cleaned up the city, reopened the banks…. for her. The way he'd looked at her disguised as Bernard in the art museum… _"You discover an entirely new way of seeing things. It can tell you a lot about yourself. Modern art is like that."..."So is love."_ A rush of warmth spread in her chest, steadying her again. _This will work._

She had reached the center of town. Not really knowing where Titan was, she slowed down, scanning out the windows. With his new gift of flight, he could be anywhere and almost everywhere at once, just like Metro Man. She silently cursed Wayne again for his self-centeredness and refusal to help. Signs of Hal's maniacal activity were spread far and wide. Cars and buildings burned, broken and twisted. _He probably doesn't even have a plan. Just having fun… destroying stuff because he can._ It didn't surprise her at all, and it was so like Hal she wondered why he hadn't gone bad before now. Finally, seeing rubble still crumbling off of buildings onto the street she knew the anti-hero might be nearby. "I hope you're watching, Megamind… Look at _me-eee_… I'm going downtown… You'd better come get me..." She imagined him sitting in his big black chair, chin in hand as he watched the live video feed from throughout the city on his monitor bank, hoping he'd already spotted her heading into danger. In fact, she was counting on it. "Otherwise, this is a suicide mission," she muttered to herself as she drove around a pile of rubble and pulled the van over to park.

* * *

><p>"Ms Ritchie?… what are you doing?" Minion wondered aloud as he spotted her white news van on one monitor's screen, parking on a downtown street very close to where he'd also seen Titan. <em>Surely she hasn't been sent to cover the story down there. What is she trying to do, get an interview? Everybody else has cleared out. <em>He knew the seasoned reporter was bold, but she was also prudent._ Doesn't she know how dangerous this is?_ Minion wondered if what Ms Ritchie was doing had anything to do with Megamind's absence. Just how long had they spent together after their date? Had the evening gone well… or badly? He looked again at the small blinking light that indicated his boss's whereabouts and shook his head. Hopefully not that badly. No. It made no sense… why would he be back in his cell? He puzzled over it, frowning as he watched the van on the monitor, then roused himself. It didn't matter. He knew what he was supposed to do next. The same thing they always did when that particular light was lit. "Now… where the heck did he put the invisible car?"

* * *

><p>Leaning forward to squint up through the windshield, she spotted the red-caped menace flying high above the street. What was he doing? A slash of laser zipped along several buildings, shattering windows, slicing effortlessly through brick and steel. <em>How could he give up the chance to be a hero and just use all that power to destroy things for his own amusement? I knew he was a jerk, but I didn't think he was actually… evil. <em>Obviously he didn't care about anyone who might get hurt or the property damage done. A zap to a car across the street caused it to burst into flames, and she saw two people scurry from the cover of a nearby building, hands over their heads, trying to find a safer place to hide. _There are people still down here! _She got out of the van almost without thinking, wanting to create a distraction so anyone close by could have a chance to move. Hopefully the help of a certain blue genius would arrive before things went too far wrong. _Believe in him, that's what Wayne said. He's seen the better side of him too. He's known longer than I have. Of course, that was a long time ago…_ She walked out into the empty street and looked skyward. Titan was far overhead, admiring his handiwork. "Hal! Hal!"

The force of his feet hitting the pavement was jarring, even from twenty feet away. She flinched as the street shuddered beneath her. He was definitely still angry. "Let me guess… Now that you've seen how awesome I am, you changed your mind. Well, I'm over you."

As he began to saunter toward her, the fear in her stomach rose into her throat and she glanced around, desperately wishing Megamind might already be somewhere nearby. _Come on.._. "I'm here to stop you, Hal."

"You?" he chuckled in amusement. "Oh, wow! Ok! What are you gonna do? Report me to death?"

_Stall, stall, stall… where is he…_ "I was going to try reasoning with you. You and I, we worked together for a long time. I know you." As she continued talking, she began to back away from him.

"You don't _know_ me. You never took the time to get to know me. This is the first time we've hung out socially, and it's when I'm about to destroy the city!"

His red eyes bored into her, and she continued backing toward the van, wondering if it would be any safer inside it. _Oh my gosh, he is not himself anymore. He looks totally deranged..._ "I want to talk to the real Hal! I want to talk to the guy who loved being a cameraman and…" Trying to keep him distracted, she realized she had at least made a mistake guessing just how out of control he'd become. _I should have waited longer. But there are people down here. _"…and eating dip and being a nerd and being not as scary as the Titan-Hal!"

_That's the best she can come up with?_ "Too LATE!" He grabbed her around the waist and flew upward with her bent nearly double over one arm, the speed of his takeoff shoving his forearm into her gut painfully and almost sucking the slippers off her feet as she watched the ground fall away with dizzying speed. As much as she hated to, Roxanne clutched at him in alarm. She'd never been afraid of heights before. It had hardly bothered her dangling over pits or off of buildings as part of Megamind's schemes, but lately the bad associations with being off the ground were starting to wear on her. Hal looked down with a sneer, noticing her trying to hang on. He loosened his grip.

"Hal! Hal, please don't drop me!"

Hearing her beg was satisfying, but he let go anyway, watching her fall toward the ground, wide-eyed, arms and legs flailing as she screamed. _I'll show you who's a nerd._ He watched with a satisfied grin, then he zoomed down and scooped her up again. "See, Roxie? You could have had all this," he motioned to himself. "I'm the one with powers now. You should have been _my_ girlfriend." Why didn't she get it that he should get the girl? All those stupid workouts he'd gotten up early for, just for her, and then finding out she had gone from being with Metro Man to that dweeb he saw in the restaurant. And that dweeb was Megamind… Megamind, who had made him feel like a fool. People had always treated him like he was some kind of idiot. But no one was going to make a fool out of him anymore.

* * *

><p>"You want a meal?" the warden asked through the window, seeing only the back of the chair and the very top of his prisoner's big blue head peeking above it as he slouched dejectedly. He had never seen the energetic criminal so subdued. Although he had had times of being down as a child, most of all during his time in school and sometimes as a teen, and had occasionally been returned to his cell greatly discouraged in the course of his career, there was always a spark in his eyes. Usually the incredible mind began working on a comeback as soon as he returned, ever hopeful, never kept down for long. It was one of the traits he admired most about the man. But today he had turned himself in for the first time ever and entered his cell meekly, then silently sat watching TV, an activity he usually scorned.<p>

"Megamind," he called louder, trying to get the blue man's attention. "Meal?"

"No."

Warden Doyle paused, long out of practice at playing a nurturing role. "When was the last time you ate?"

There was no answer but the clicking of the remote as the prisoner continued mindlessly changing channels. Just as he was about to step away from the observation window, the warden heard the despondent convict quietly add, "Turn off the lights."

Troubled at the request, he turned to the guard on duty with a frown, "Take a break. I'll keep an eye on him for now." Obligingly he flipped off the lights in the cell, thinking of what he'd seen on the news of the new super-powered wonder menacing the city. This was the latest plan? Considering Megamind's state of mind, he suspected that this time things had just gone too far wrong, had gotten completely out of control. He sighed. As crazy as some of his ideas were, he supposed it had only been a matter of time. The fact that he wasn't eating was a very bad sign. He'd only been known to do that in his very darkest moods. Usually the first thing he did upon returning to his cell was to ask for a meal. Apparently the two bachelor criminals got too wrapped up in their plans to take care of themselves properly. Reclining in the hard chair, he wondered just when Minion might show up. Where was he, and why had he let Megamind return himself to prison at all? He folded his hands and waited, fingers twitching in agitation, wondering if something had happened to the fish.

* * *

><p>Titan zipped over to Metro City Tower and dropped Roxanne at the edge of the narrow walkway. Hovering in the air beside her, he crossed his arms as he watched her try to stand unsteadily. She felt dazed from being carried so roughly and so fast, and as she reached out a shaking hand to grab the radio antenna, a burst of air slammed into her. She gasped as she stumbled backward, lost her footing, and plummeted over the edge, so stunned that Hal had purposely knocked her over with a blast of super breath that she couldn't even scream. Did he mean to kill her? If Megamind didn't come soon, it would be too late.<p>

A hard shove from below knocked the wind out of her as she was lifted sky high once more, awkwardly bent backward over Hal's arm. "Oops! That was clumsy! You should be more careful, Roxie! You could fall and get _hurt_," he mocked. In his other hand he spun a One Way street sign like a baton, and she blanched, wondering what he was going to do with it. This time he landed on the tower ledge with her and pushed her back toward the metal scaffold of the antenna with a hard shove to the chest.

"I've been _watching_ you, Rox-a-roo… like a good hero should. Taking care of his favorite girl even when she doesn't know it. Even if she doesn't _care_. That's how nice I am. And look…. I'm even going to make sure you don't fall down again." He bent the street sign around her and the tower as easily as a child might bend a pipe cleaner. "There you go! Safe and sound." Then he clasped his hands to his chest with pretended sorrow. "But now… I'm afraid I have some sad news for you." He couldn't wait to see her reaction. "That nerd you've been dating? The guy you were with in the restaurant? That was _Megamind_…" He expected her to looked upset, surprised at least, but there was no change in her expression at all, and his gleeful anticipation slowly died away as she stared expressionlessly back at him. "Don't you get it? He _tricked_ you! Megamind has been pretending to be like some normal guy to fool you into going out with him!"

"I know it was Megamind." The metal post was uncomfortably tight over her ribs and arms, making her feel oddly claustrophobic even though she was practically in the clouds, surrounded by nothing but air. She grimaced and squirmed, wishing she could breathe more easily, not wanting to talk to Hal of all people about that terrible date or her still confused thoughts over Megamind's deception. Obviously he liked upsetting her, and she wasn't about to let him have the satisfaction of doing it again.

"You _knew_? No way… " he blurted out in disbelief, staring at her uncomprehendingly for several moments. "Oooh, wait… I get it. Man, Roxie, you fell kind of far, huh? From Metro Man to _him_? What could you possibly see in that bigheaded freak? Makes sense you'd have to date him on the sly. Couldn't let yourself be seen with the little blue twerp out in public, could you? That would sure ruin your perfect image." He glowered at her. "So… what? You'll only go out with famous guys? No wonder you didn't want to be seen with me when I was _just_ a cameraman. I sure wasn't good enough for Roxanne Ritchie back then."

Wouldn't be seen dating Megamind in public? Before today, she probably would have readily agreed with that statement. How could she, the star reporter for the good guys, ever be seen socially with the baddest of the bad guys? But now she paused, hearing Hal accuse her of being nothing but a stuck-up snob. Was she any better than that horrific teacher he'd had? How must her reluctance have appeared to Megamind in light of his history of constant rejection? It must have painfully reinforced those negative concepts he had of himself… especially the night she nearly gave in to her feelings, toyed with him, sent him away. Suddenly she felt panicked. Why would he come when he probably thought she didn't care about him at all?

"Dating Megamind... Wow, ok! Now what I found in your closet makes a lot more sense." She looked at him sharply and saw a nasty smile creep over his face. "Yeah, that's right. I was in your apartment today… wanted to give you another chance… too bad you weren't there... I happened to be in your bedroom," he explained, taking a step closer and leering at her knowingly, his face uncomfortably close to hers as he lowered his voice. "I like those silky pajamas you have, by the way… and those lacey panties… they're totally _hot_." Repulsed at the thought of him handling her lingerie, she turned her head away, cringing at the smell of his breath. "And there in your closet, tucked away in the back like you were trying to _hide_ it, I found a certain somebody's little… black… cape," he breathed in her ear.

Her chest rose and fell faster as she stared out into the thin blue atmosphere around the tower, knowing it wasn't from the pressure of the pipe bent around her or even from Hal's menacing but from the vivid memory of the night Megamind had come to her room… releasing the clasp at his neck and letting the dark fabric slide from his shoulders, allowing her to reach up to caress his neck, wrapping his arms tightly around her again as they kissed... his skin warm and smooth under her fingers, lips hard against her mouth… refusing him... watching him silently leave, certain she was saying goodbye to any possibility of being with him again… and waking up the next morning to find his cape still lying at the foot of her bed. She had stared at it blankly, still heavy-hearted about the night before, wanting to touch it, hold it, almost frightened by the intensity of her desire. Tentatively lifting it off the bed, she'd slowly squeezed the heavy folds in her hands, drawing it through her fingers… bringing it up to rub against her cheek… across her lips, closing her eyes as she turned her head to bury her nose in his scent lingering there... leathery but clean, masculine, warm and familiar but exciting. Swallowing hard, she felt tears sting in her eyes, wishing she'd known then what she knew now. Wishing she had chosen differently. Torturing herself wondering yet again what it might have changed.

Hal was watching her closely. "What's this?… No _way_! Don't tell me you actually have feelings for that little blue loser!" he taunted. Then he stopped. "No, wait. I don't get it. He was wearing a disguise..." He frowned with the effort of thinking, then his face cleared again. "Ohhh!" He wagged a finger at her and laughed. "You're naughty! You needed a little fix with the bad boy once in a while, right? What happened? Found out you _liked_ being tied up?" He took her silence as an admission. "Oh man! How long has this been going on?"

Roxanne looked at her feet, refusing to engage in the conversation, even to defend herself. What he said hurt, partly because it contained a grain of truth. She knew if she talked back, she would get herself in trouble. Hal hovered in the air, zipping around her in excitement, goading her. "_That_ long? So you let him take you out to dinner and then back to your place and... oh, wow." He put a hand to his forehead in disbelief and laughed again. "That's why his cape was there, right? End the night with a little horizontal folk dancing, and he accidentally left it behind?" Eyes lit up, he looked her up and down, imagining them together. "You can't be seen with him in public like he is, but you like him better in bed that way? What, even with the cape on? How good can it be under that skinny little twerp, Roxie? My, my… I'm disappointed in you. I bet Metro Man never knew what a _slut_ you are, doin' the hero _and_ the villain." His grin became a sneer, and he turned upside down to force her downturned eyes to look into his face. "You don't have to cry though. I'll keep your secret… for a price. Maybe I should start by spanking you. Cause if you want to be naughty, _I'm_ the bad boy now." Flipping over, he moved his body closer, hovering so he was nearly rubbing up against her, making her skin crawl as he sniffed her hair, not bothering to disguise a glance down her shirt.

She jerked sideways, going nowhere but desperately wanting to get away from him. "Hal, stop it! It wasn't like that. I only found out about what he was doing last night."

"Oh." He pulled back, thoroughly confused. "So he tricked you too?" She hadn't known Megamind was her nerdy date? What was the deal then? He was trying to work it out when Roxanne directed a piercing glare at him.

"And he's _not_ a loser."

"Oh really?" he huffed. "I guess you missed our fight earlier. He ran off like a scared little girl," he told her, imitating a girlish flounce. "I beat him good. Guess that does make me the hero. I beat the villain." He puffed his chest out with a self-satisfied smirk, flexing his pectoral muscles.

"Megamind is more of a hero than you'll ever be." The street sign around her was constricting, and the bars of the antenna array pressed into her backbone, causing a painful spot that was slowly becoming sharper. But most painful of all was the realization of how much she must have fed into Megamind's doubts about himself. There was still no sign of him, and she struggled not to give up hope. "Heroes don't hurt people or assume they can do whatever they want just because they're stronger than everybody else. They try to help people… and stand by their convictions… and do what they believe is right." With a grimace, she tried to shift and find some relief for the part of her back where the pain was beginning to burn. "Megamind gave you these powers so you could do good, Hal. And look at you... You've turned evil! You could have had it all… just like Metro Man, but you blew it." Considering her position, she realized that it might not be wise to antagonize him. "There's still time though. You could still change your mind. You could do good." The thin altitude and pressure on her ribs along with being upset was making her a little light-headed. "But if you don't… Megamind will stop you." _I hope. Oh god, Megamind, where are you?_

Hal was staring at her open-mouthed, amazed. Why would Roxanne stand up for him when she'd just admitted he had been tricking her? "Stop _me_? The guy's a loser! A total failure! He loses _every time_. Seriously, he's about the worst villain I've ever seen. And you think he's coming back for more punishment? What? For you? You're deluded. Ok, ok… so where is he?"

It was taking far too long. "He'll be here."

"Think about it, Roxie. After knowing he was making a _fool_ out of you too? Why wear a disguise to date you? Trying to look normal? Yeah, _normal_. As if he could. He was probably just trying to get in your pants pretending to be that four-eyed dweeb." Her shoulders slumped hearing him speak her doubts out loud. "He knew you wouldn't want him the way he is. Who would? Geez, he really could have picked a better disguise though. But hey… _I_ don't need to hide anything. Look at this body! If you think I could be just like Metro Man... let's start with you and me." He tickled a finger under her chin.

"No WAY." Roxanne glared at him again, her spirit showing once more.

He chuckled, finding that he liked making her angry now that she couldn't do anything about it. "Fine. Whatever. You think your precious little blue man will come take me on again? That works for me." _I've still got an axe to grind._ He stepped off the tower and flew straight down. When he suddenly appeared again, he had a news camera from the van over one shoulder. "Let's just make sure he does show up. Time for your last report."


	21. The Ol' Bait and Switch

The green eyes stared morosely, heavy-lidded, glazing over. Purposeless thoughts raced along the same tracks again and again as he slouched in his chair, slowly being crushed under a suffocating blanket of gloom. _What will I do with myself?_ All the exciting ideas he held in reserve suddenly seemed ridiculous. _Sometimes the impossible ones turn out the best though. I'm just in a funk. A blue funk. Why do they call it a _blue_ funk anyway? _He continued pressing the remote control button mechanically, not even seeing what was on the screen. _Look. Hal isn't going to play the game. Why can't I just give up? Wayne did. _His mind defied him, stumbling over plans and half-formed ideas, searching for an answer, just as he'd trained himself to do each time he was returned to his cell. _Give up, damn it. Might as well let Tattoo Louie write I'M A LOSER across my massive head and join the crochet club. I wonder if they still meet on Saturdays…_

Deciding that the soporific television shows availble at this time of day might lull his traitorous brain into a stupor, he began searching for a particularly mind-numbing daytime soap opera he'd stumbled across once, then realized most of the usual programming had been interrupted by special news reports. _Marvelous. Just shove it in my face_. Titan's destruction was widespread. People were shown fleeing the downtown area, their dirt-smudged faces looking back, shaken and fearful. Disturbed, he shook his head. _Villain…right… I couldn't let myself do half the things Hal's done. He obviously has zero concern for _anyone_. Aaaand, that's how a villain is supposed to be, yes? Where did I get morals anyway?_ _What kind of Evil Overlord am I? Maybe everyone's been laughing at me all along, thinking what a pathetic excuse I am for a super villain. Am I the only one who really thought I was good at being bad? Obviously Roxanne didn't… _A wide-angle shot from a news chopper passing quickly over the city made his mouth drop open in dismay. _TIGHTEN-ville? Seriously?… the man doesn't even know how to spell his own name! He may be evil but...uh! he's a complete moron..._

Desk anchors excitedly questioned wide-eyed reporters jacked up on adrenaline who'd placed themselves as close to the action as they dared. None of them were anywhere near Hal. _Hmph._ _Roxanne would have gone right downtown_. He wondered if Wayne had flown her out of the city to safety yet._ He better have. _He passed over a few more channels_. Oh, I've had enough of this "news". Where is that disgusting soap opera? -click- More news. -click- Weather. -click- There's Titan… oh, I got a mention. How nice. -click- How _do_ they get that squirrel to do that anyway?_ Abruptly he backed up a channel, unable to stop from tormenting himself by listening to the menace he'd created gloat over the citizenry, just as he himself had done not so long ago. With a frown, he realized Hal was speaking to him. …_Unfinished business? _The camera swiveled around, and zoomed in on Roxanne tied up at the top of Metro City Tower. Megamind sat up_. No. _"Roxanne!"

"Come on, Roxie…" Hal's taunting voice was heard off-camera, causing his victim to look even more distressed. "Call for your _hero_ to come rescue you."

Before he could take in the fact that the hero being referred to was himself, she spoke. Reluctant at first, aware of the whole city listening in, she quickly gained strength as she directed her emotional plea only to him. "Megamind… I don't even know if you're listening… but if you are… you _can't_ give up! The Megamind I knew would never have run from a fight, even when he knew he had absolutely no chance of winning! It was your best quality. You need to be that guy _right now_. The city needs you…" Her head dropped for a moment before she looked up into the camera again, eyes dark and desperate, sincerely hoping he could hear her, not understanding why he hadn't come yet. "I need you."

"Roxanne..." Hal's angry face and final ultimatum went unheeded. Jumping to his feet, Megamind was solely focused on what was behind him. The shattered look on the reporter's face plainly showed she was close to giving up hope, and he could clearly hear in his mind the sound of her weeping brokenly from behind a closed door.

* * *

><p>It would have looked very strange to anyone watching - the warden sneaking up on himself and delivering a quick blow to the back of his own head with a black, skull-and-crossbones marked baton. The man in the chair immediately slumped to the ground while the identical man standing behind him stowed the stick, mysteriously concealing it somewhere on his body and making a length of rope appear like magic instead. As he lifted his unconscious victim back into the chair and began tying him to it, he noticed the steady changing of channels in the private cell as though the occupant found pressing the button over and over more soothing than actually watching TV. All communications, reading material, meals, yes, even the television viewing habits of this particular prisoner had always been closely monitored, the guards outside being able to observe everything and having the ability to cut his privileges using a master switch at any time.<p>

Abruptly the channel flipping stopped as the pseudo-warden tried to arrange the drooping figure into a more comfortable sitting position. Looking up, he noticed Ms Ritchie's face on the TV screen at the guards' station, apparently speaking directly into the camera. He moved closer and stood stunned hearing the frightened reporter encouraging her former captor to come not only to her aid but to the aid of the city he once terrorized. His eyes popped further at her final statement. _I need you?_ As Titan reappeared on screen, issuing a one-hour time limit in which to reply, the grey-haired man blinked a few times. _There…. there really is something between the two of them. _The disguised aquatic creature stood silently mulling over the revelation of their former victim's insight. Ms Ritchie had recognized Megamind's strengths – the dogged determination and unfailing perseverance even in the face of overwhelming odds that had made him a survivor if not a success. She, the person they'd kidnapped over and over, pretended to threaten, inconvenienced weekly, annoyed incessantly… she believed in him.

"Warden! Warden!"

Hearing Megamind frantically calling, the false warden collected himself and approached the window casually, playing the role as he had intended to all along. This time he held all the cards, and despite the limited time available, he couldn't resist the chance for a little payback.

"Listen to me! You _have_ to let me go! Titan _has_ to be stopped!"

"Sorry, Megamind. You still have 88 life sentences to go. Plenty of time to reflect on what you've done." _Wait, was it 87 or 88?_ He couldn't recall with certainty the number he'd heard the warden use when they pulled the jailbreak right before the Death Ray scheme, but the distracted criminal paid no attention anyway. He was trying to figure out how to convince the man outside his cell to release him.

"Did you want to hear me say it… I'll say it! Here it is! From the blackest part of my heart!" He paused, working himself up to the most convincingly delivered apology he could come up with. "_I… am… sorry!_"

Minion watched, completely unimpressed, as his overly dramatic blue friend threw himself against the door and slid down it, apparently overcome with remorse. _When is he going to stop pretending?_ "Not buying it," he informed him and heard Megamind sigh.

"I don't blame you." As the convict got to his feet again, he wondered hopelessly how he could escape without the assistance of his sidekick. He had dug his own grave heartlessly pushing Minion aside…. and now he realized that by doing so, he'd dug Roxanne's as well. Hal had found her, and now she needed him. _Needs me… she said she needs me_. _Did she just say all of that to convince me to come to her rescue? _Her words had sounded sincere, and he wanted to believe them. _It doesn't matter. I can't let her down again. _Anguished at the thought of Roxanne waiting at Hal's mercy, he simply could not think straight. He would never be able to convince the warden to let him go. _This whole, hopeless situation is all my fault. _"I've terrorized the city countless times. Created a hero who turned out to be a villain. I lied to Roxanne. My best friend Minion… I treated like dirt." _It's no wonder he never came back. And without his help, I'm going to lose her as well._ The thought was unbearable. "Please don't make this city… don't make Roxanne pay for my wrongdoings."

Since their childhood Minion had feared his ward would eventually break down under the neverending rejection and repeated failures he endured, so accepting the blatant excuses Megamind made to acquit himself had only seemed compassionate. It quickly became a habit… a bad one. He himself was the one usually called on to shoulder the blame to save the blue alien's inflated and rather fragile ego. But now his fishy heart swelled with pride at hearing his friend's words, recognizing that he had at last made an honest assessment of his actions and shouldered the responsibility for them willingly. "Apology accepted."

Looking up in amazement as the door opened, Megamind's face relaxed into an expression of profound relief as Minion's true form was revealed with a quick twist at his wrist. He'd never been so happy to see that familiar, toothy grin. "Ah, Minion… you fantastic fish, you."

"What are we waiting for?" The happy little creature smiled back widely. "We'd better get going."

Still tied to his chair, Warden Doyle had regained consciousness but judiciously remained silent and observed the proceedings with interest. He heard Megamind's theatrical sham of an apology as well as his true confession, and along with Minion he felt a glimmer of hope that his favorite inmate might be about to turn a corner. With a sense of satisfaction he observed the unlikely pair reunite with grins and chuckles and good-natured ribbing and sincerely wished them well as they left. "Good luck, fellas!"

"We're gonna die!"

The warden nodded slightly, acknowledging the possibility. _Let's hope not._

Minion laughed before his friend's words actually registered. "Wait, what?"

Megamind smiled ruefully and nodded his head as they boldly strode down a side corridor toward the warden's office. He knew where his de-gun was kept, away from the prison employees' sticky fingers and apart from all the other prisoners' effects. No cries of "stop" hailed them, no one got in their way. "More than likely, Minion… I may very well have to die."

Minion stopped him, looking him in the eye with his hands on his shoulders. "Sir! Don't joke like that. Why would you say that? You can stop Hal. What about the copper containment unit? The fail-safe!"

Realizing how much Minion didn't yet know, Megamind explained, "I've already tried that. It didn't work. I'm afraid copper isn't his weakness. And," he added, wondering how the news would strike his sidekick. "It isn't Metro Man's either." Minion had always held more of a grudge against Wayne for all their school troubles than he had.

"It isn't? What do you mean?" Minion asked, confused. "We saw him. In the observatory… he, he couldn't even stand-"

"He's alive, Minion."

Minion blinked. "Come again?"

"Roxanne and I found him - and spoke to him - just today. He's alive… and he says he's _retiring_." He shook his head. "He doesn't want to be a hero anymore."

"Ok, hold on," the sidekick requested, putting a metal hand to his dome, struggling to keep up. It was stunning enough finding out that apparently his boss and Ms Ritchie had been working together. And yet currently she was in Hal's clutches begging for his help. But they'd also found Wayne alive…. Retired? Retired from being a hero? Could he do that? "He's still alive? Wha-… how? How do you _retire_ from being a super hero?"

Megamind briefly explained how they'd found Wayne and learned about his fake demise followed by hearing about his intention to start a new career as a musician. As he related the story, Minion's fins waved slowly in disbelief, but he also guiltily recalled what he'd noticed about the skeleton that had crashed into the lair that fateful day. If only he'd said something earlier. And if he expected Megamind to own up to his mistakes, then he should do the same. "Oh my. Um… Sir? The skeleton? The one we thought was Metro Man? I, um… yeah… I knew there was something about it that wasn't right."

"You did?"

"It… uh, well, you see… it was pinned together."

Megamind's eyes opened wide. _"Borrowed a prop from a nursing school…" Of course. _"Min-ion! Why didn't you say anything?" _Why didn't _I_ notice? I'm supposed to be the genius._

"Well… you were so _happy_! You'd won! I… I didn't want to take your big moment away from you. And it didn't really make any sense. I mean, it's not like he showed up again after that. They even had a funeral, and Ms Ritchie was upset and his parents too. I kept meaning to tell you about it, but something would always come up and… I never did." He squirmed as though still unsure how he had allowed himself to overlook and dismiss such an important detail for so long. "Especially that day… when I came back upstairs after getting that thing ready to send back to the Scotts, I thought about telling you right then, but… uh, you and Ms Ritchie looked… well, like something had happened."

Staring pensively into the distance, Megamind leaned back against the cold concrete wall with a sigh. "Yes. Something happened." Now wasn't the time to revisit the memory of their first willing kiss together that had brought him to his knees though. They only had an hour. "There isn't time to explain all that now. But… as to the skeleton."

"Yes?" The fishy creature cringed, fins held close to his sides, waiting to be blasted for his incompetence.

"I can't fault you for that." Megamind answered unexpectedly, placing a reassuring hand on his sidekick's hairy shoulder. "All these years I've demanded that you follow orders without question. Of course you wouldn't speak up right when it seemed I'd finally accomplished my goal. You were only doing what was expected of you, allowing me my moment in the spotlight." He smiled fondly at his stunned watery companion. "Even if you had told me… I probably wouldn't have listened. I was on an ego trip like never before." He remembered how he had started that fateful kiss, pressing his lips against Roxanne's forcefully, his overinflated ego overriding his better judgment and regard for her. It was a wonder she had responded at all. He certainly hadn't deserved to be kissed back. "Let's face it, my friend – I've been a jerk the past two weeks. There were so many times I should have listened to you and didn't. If I had… things would be a lot different." He never would have hurt Roxanne and been left in the rain or sat outside her door, listening to her heart breaking, knowing it was his fault. Thinking of how she looked a few minutes ago, pleading for him from the top of the tower made him bite his lip. Yes, he would risk his life to save her… but he didn't want to die. He wanted to find out if she would forgive him. If just maybe… things could be salvaged.

Mouth hanging open, Minion couldn't believe his boss was excusing his blunder. "Sir… I don't know what to say."

"Don't say anything. We can talk about all of this later," he stated, beginning to jog quickly down the corridor again. "Right now we're racing against the clock. We have to get to Roxanne."

Following his boss into Warden Doyle's office, Minion watched Megamind pick the lock on a small safe under the desk and extract his de-gun, checking it over. He wondered if he had been wrong. Associating with Ms Ritchie seemed to have changed his wayward friend. "I heard her message. She believes in you."

"Well. At the very least she refuses to believe I'm completely evil. I never could convince her." He picked up the holster too and looked up at his friend in the bowl, genuinely perplexed. "Why is that, Minion?"

Minion gazed back, seeing in the green eyes and the blue face the same boy who used to plaintively question why no one at school liked him. _"Why, Minion? Why don't they like me?" "They just don't see what's inside you, Sir." "Then I have to keep trying." _But eventually he'd given up and accepted the label they insisted on pinning on him over and over – bad boy. "Well… I think… somehow, she sees what's inside you."

Megamind silently pondered for a moment, looking down at the pistol in his hands, running a thumb over the filigree. _Not much gets past Roxanne._ A smile teased at the corner of the blue lips as they walked out of the office again, and he picked up speed again so suddenly, Minion trotted as fast as he could to keep up. "You've always been loyal, Minion. It's too bad it took all of this happening for me to realize just how much I rely on you. The programming, the escapes… the costume designs! You know, the Black Mamba really was your finest work. It's a shame it was destroyed. I would have liked…" Still jogging along, Megamind glanced sharply sideways as he realized something significant. "Minion. When I left for my date, the Black Mamba wasn't finished." He paused. "But when I came back and suited up, it was."

Minion looked abashed. "Yeah… about that. You see, I was so sure your evening would be a total bomb, I came back. Thought you might need somebody to talk to. But you weren't there, so I figured I'd pass the time finishing it up while I waited. And then you never came back…. And I was… I was kind of… jealous…"

Megamind rolled his eyes. "You were right though. It bombed. Actually, what's worse than bombing? Whatever it is, it was that." _How do we get past that?_

"Um…" He wanted to ask what had happened but his boss's unhappy frown discouraged questions.

"All that matters now is getting her out of there, and we need to hurry. Titan's only given us an hour."

"Right! What's the plan?" he asked, happy to be getting down to business. There were still a lot of unanswered questions rolling around in his ichthyoid brain, but they could be answered later. Hopefully. Then he realized no one had tried to stop them leaving the prison. He couldn't have known that Warden Doyle had been found by the guard who had returned from his break not long after they left, and he had ordered that they be allowed to leave the building unchallenged. Megamind suspected as much. He knew there should have been some resistance to their escape, but he also knew the warden. "By the way, Sir, where's the invisible car?"

* * *

><p>Roxanne realized how many people would be watching and hear not only her plea for help but her feelings for the city's Evil Overlord broadcast over the airwaves for all to see. What did it matter? If he didn't show up, she'd be dead. <em>And why would he show up when I've proven I'm just like everybody else?<em>

Hal had disappeared with a snarl when she had refused to speak any more. She waited at the top of the tower, cold and miserable and alone, refusing to give in to the morbid thoughts and last wishes that were nothing more than an admission of defeat. From time to time, she struggled against the metal bar, not even able to free her arms. Her back ached and burned. The hour had to be nearly up, and Megamind was nowhere in sight. _Please come._

Hal waited, hidden in the shadows of another building close to the tower. If the blue baddie did show up, he intended to catch him off guard when he tried to take the bait.

* * *

><p>"How many brainbots did we have at last count?"<p>

"Sir, when was the last time you ate?"

"Minion, I don't have time for that right now!"

"Do I have to remind you of what happened the last time you didn't listen to me?"

"But...!"

"Eat this! Now!" He shoved a doughnut into his boss's protesting mouth.

"Ugh! Fnne." Chewing distractedly, he continued gathering up pieces of equipment, mentally pacing out the details of the rough plan he'd outlined to Minion on the way back, programming the necessary commands for the brainbots into a central computer at light speed, testing equipment. He didn't notice the doughnut had gone stale, but he was secretly pleased to have Minion looking after him again. "... nuw, hww mnny?"

"Don't talk with your mouth full. Brainbots… uh…I don't know. I've lost count." Minion hurried to another computer terminal and pulled up some numbers. "Over 100,000 it looks like." After designing and creating the original brainbot team, Megamind had realized the small cyborgs would be extremely useful en masse as well as individually and dedicated one small group solely to the task of creating more of themselves. Occasionally he and Minion still took a hand in the process, modifying some the little glowing henchmen for specific jobs.

"We're going to need them all for the head."

Minion typed in more instructions and seeing that his boss had swallowed the dry confection, handed him a mug. "Here's your coffee…. Sir… that flight pack… You haven't used it in a long time. Not since…"

"I've checked it. It'll be fine! We need to hurry! Do you still have the watch?"

"Yes, but don't you think I should just tell Ms Ritchie -"

"No, Minion! Trust me. You can _not_ tell her about the disguise." With a sigh he slumped a little, remembering the look on her face in the restaurant. _Would it ever work out? But she said she needs me_. "I'll have to explain why another time. But trust me…. she'd be angry. Do you have the knock out spray?" When Minion shook the can and confirmed he did, Megamind stopped his frenetic activity to look him in the eye very seriously. "Your only job is to get her off the tower and out of there. Force her to leave if you have to. Yes, even against her will. Then I want you to stay with her. The most important thing is for the two of you to escape. Once you're gone, I'll do the rest."

"But, Sir… what if he doesn't buy it?"

"Doesn't buy it?" He knew it was a real possibility. A little x-ray vision would reveal the disguise. Apparently Hal didn't often remember to use it though, otherwise they could easily have been discovered during his raid of Roxanne's apartment. He also knew there was a very real chance that the untried equipment in the Metro Man Power Suite he'd created long ago might not actually damage the super maniac. "Not likely. He's not that smart." Megamind paused, looking down at the pair of power gloves he had picked up. "And it doesn't really matter anyway. I have to try, and this is our best chance. Promise me you'll look after her this time. Don't leave her somewhere and come back to try to help me."

Minion blinked solemnly. "If that's what you want."

"I know it goes against your instincts, Minion. You've always come to my rescue… in so many ways." He wanted to say this and so many things to his little friend, just in case. "I realize I owe you my life several times over. But now… I have to do this. Even if Roxanne does get angry. Even if I fail yet again… and in the worst possible way... I don't much want to live without her anyway." The two gazed at each other silently. "So… code: Don't die."

Minion smiled to hide his worries. "Code: I'll do my best."

* * *

><p>The hour was nearly up when Hal returned to the tower, camera at the ready. This time he didn't bother talking to his victim at all but spewed his anger and hatred to the public directly. "Hey, Metro Losers. This is Metro Tower. They say it's supposed to be a symbol of our city's strength. But for me, it's a reminder of the day <em>this woman<em> ferociously ripped out my heart. And I _hate_ reminders!"

Roxanne watched him toss the camera aside and disappear over the side of the building once again. It began to shudder and shake ominously just before she felt the entire structure begin to pitch sideways. _No! This is it! This is it, and he isn't here._ "Ahhh! Hal!"

Deciding to hear her last words, the anti-hero touched down on the walkway again, stopping the tower's slide. "Please don't do this!" she pleaded. "I know there's still good in you, Hal!"

"You're so naïve, Roxie," he scolded. "You see the good in everybody… even when it's not there."

She thought of Megamind and the good she believed was inside of him. Believed in it enough that she had risked her own life to make him see it too, and yet he was nowhere in sight. Had she only seen what she wanted to see? _How could I have been so wrong again? I wanted so much to be right about him._

"You're living a fantasy. There is no Easter Bunny, there is no Tooth Fairy… and there is no Queen of England!"

_Um… ok, keep in mind who you're listening to here, Roxanne_.

"This is the real world! And you need to _wake up_!"

Sneaking up on two people at the top of a skyscraper in a giant dirigible is most likely a trick only a giant blue-headed genius would be able to pull off. The dark, ovular airship's stealth capabilies were so good, neither person heard anything until they were startled by the sound of a heavy metal guitar riff. Tighten turned at the sound, recognizing the ship as the same one he'd seen on Metro Man Day at the museum. In the few seconds it took for the machine to fill the sky around them with a dark cloud, Roxanne caught on as well. She had not seen the dirigible before, having been in the fake observatory when it had made its debut appearance, and was somewhat shocked by it given her state of mind as well, but there was no doubt who would use such a thing for a showdown and bring along his own theme music – 'Welcome to the Jungle' to boot. As the familiar voice boomed out, challenging the man who refused to be a hero, her relief overshadowed everything else she felt. She'd never been happier to see the profile that was lit up on the clouds. _Megamind! I was right!_

"You dare challenge Megamind?" He'd been agitatedly watching Roxanne all alone at the top of the tower, silently cursing Hal for taking so long to reveal himself, knowing that since he was nowhere in sight he must be lying in wait. And he wasn't about to let the idiot get a jump on him. Finally seeing him fly up to the top of the tower, he'd slowly brought the airship into position beside the tower's base, put the brainbots on alert, and started the ascent just in time to see the crazed man rip through the side of the building.

Hal was annoyed that his plan to catch the evil genius off guard hadn't worked. "This town isn't big enough for two super villains!" He backed up as the glowing, disembodied head appeared from behind the cloud, looking directly at him.

"Oh, you're a villain all right… just not a _super_ one!"

"Yeah? What's the difference?" Hal demanded.

Inside the airship concealed behind the brainbots' formation, Megamind held his hand over the mic and told his sidekick in disguise, "Go now, Minion."

"Wait! What_ is_ the difference?"

He rolled his eyes. "Presentation, of course!"

"Oh." Minion skipped out, using the tightly packed brainbots as stepping stones. _I've got to make this believable._ He skidded to a stop and threw his arms wide to signal that he was in position. Megamind threw the switch to take the laser show to the next level. "PRESENTATION!"

For some reason Minion couldn't understand, Megamind had been right that this would trip Hal's trigger. He yelled and flew at the figure standing at the mouth of the enormous brainbot head in a rage. As he lowered the airship again and quickly began to prepare himself, donning the power suite with trembling hands, Megamind watched his disguised friend dodge the attack, falling through the cyborgs to the waiting jetbike parked below as the brainbots swarmed Hal. So far the plan was working.

The day they'd stumbled across someone selling a jet engine, no questions asked, he knew immediately he had to have the thing. He'd gleefully drafted the plans for the world's fastest airbike and built the entire machine mere hours after it arrived. Anticipating the thrill of riding the high-powered vehicle had given him incredible chills. Once built, they found riding it and controlling it proved to be rather tricky, but today they needed the fastest possible way to get Roxanne safely out of Tighten's reach. The jetpack he was now wearing would actually have been the fastest, as it simulated Metro Man's own powers of flight, but he would need it himself for his part of the plan. He kept an eye on the two as he maneuvered the dirigible to the ground, watching Minion as himself pull Roxanne onto his lap. _There I am with her again... and still not as myself! We look good though... man, I wish I could have been the one to go up and save her._ Once the ship touched down, he heard a terrible noise and looked up from strapping on the backpack in time to the see the entire tower falling – thrown – aimed right at the escaping pair on the jetbike.

The force of it hitting the ground made a shockwave that caused the back end of the bike to bounce hard, ripping one wing off as it made contact with the pavement. Minus that wing, Minion could not get the vehicle to lift again. They were moving far too fast to attempt a turn without slamming into a building, and as he turned the throttle he realized they were losing power as well, the engine having been damaged.

"Go faster!" Roxanne urged as she clutched at her driver, looking back and seeing the tower gaining on them. "Make this thing go faster!"

"I can't control it!" He could see the fountain in the street before them coming up fast and knew the tower was barreling down on them from behind. _I have to get her off of this thing! _He looked around, spotting the awnings of the buildings up ahead. Praying they'd break her fall, he took careful aim and threw her aside just as the tower plowed into the back of the bike, sending him tumbling through the air.

Roxanne felt the burn of the canvas on her skin as she hit the first awning, bounced over the next, and rolled rapidly down the third, smacking her head quickly against the sidewalk. Darkness closed in around the edges of her vision as she lifted her head to try to see what had happened to her rescuer. Then she blacked out.

* * *

><p><em>Did Roxanne actually lose consciousness? In the movie in this scene, we see her bouncing and then rolling off the awnings of a building, landing on the ground, and at that time, the fabric is clean. Then there is an odd blink in the film, and we see her raise her head. Behind her the awnings are now covered in dust and dirt that have settled out of the air.<em>


	22. It All Comes Down to This

_Thank you to mommy2caitlyn and Nora Salisbury for their help and encouragement, as always. :) This will be the last of the movie rehashing for a while (only the museum reopening to do yet) although there is more story to come. My sincere thanks to you, dear readers and especially you reviewers! You make this so much fun that I often wish I didn't have other obligations to meet that slow down the writing process, but real life keeps happening! Thank you, you incredibly handsome people._

* * *

><p>She fought to remain conscious as the darkness closed in, desperate to find out what had happened to Megamind. Only a few seconds passed before her vision cleared again, leaving behind a pounding headache. A loud ringing in her ears made her cringe as she squinted through the swirling dust, spotting the black and blue figure sprawled motionless in a pile of rubble against the fountain. "No..."<p>

Getting to her feet, she began to run toward him unsteadily, able see more clearly once she was standing. _The antenna! Oh my God…_ Suddenly the ground bucked, almost knocking her off her feet as Tighten landed beside the tower. She spun around to face him.

"Well, that was easy." Hal sauntered toward her smugly. "Looks like there's only one loose end now."

* * *

><p>Megamind watched the massive tower plummet to the ground and tear down the street, obliterating everything in its path and bearing down on the two people who meant the most to him in the world, threatening to crush them. He saw Hal follow along behind. This was definitely not part of the plan. It was more like his worst nightmare come true. Without thinking, he found himself running along the path of destruction left in the building's wake, trying to catch up. <em>Must go faster!<em> "Brainbots!" Two bots appeared immediately and grabbed him by the arms, carrying him speedily just above street level toward the tower which had finally shuddered to a stop in a huge cloud of dust and smoke. _Where are they? I need to be there _now_… Oh!_ He remembered the flight pack and clicked it on, shooting forward out of the cyborgs' grip, rising higher so he could look down on the scene.

Ahead he saw his own body slumped at the base of the fountain, skewered and still. _Minion.._. Roxanne was looking back, hands raised defensively as Tighten stalked toward her. He turned on the disguise generator and plummeted as fast as he dared to place himself between them just as Hal kicked a city bus toward the petrified reporter. With a growl, he clenched his fist, activating the bladed glove and dropping between the vehicle and Roxanne so fast he felt as much stress in his feet from hitting the ground as he did in the arm that held the blade up to meet the hulk of metal sliding toward her. When he could no longer feel shrapnel hitting his face, he opened his eyes and found he had successfully split the giant projectile, deflecting it to either side. _Yes! _Straightening up, he brushed a bit of dust from his shoulder in one of Wayne's characteristically nonchalant gestures_. Pansy. He always did hate getting his clothes dirty._ "Please! Let's have a little respect for public transportation!" He watched Hal's jaw drop. _That's right. I'm here to wipe that stupid smile right off your face_, _you asshole_.

Roxanne's astonished voice spoke up behind him. "You came back!"

He turned to look at her, glad to see she was all right, knowing he had no choice but to make her believe in the deception as well. _Sorry, sweetheart_. "You were right, Roxanne. I never should have left."

She was still staring at him in disbelief when he also heard Hal. "Whoa… I... I thought you were dead."

With a smirk, he swaggered toward the delinquent hero like a jock past a line of cheerleaders, ala Metro Man, and watched Hal take a step back uncertainly. "My death was… greatly exaggerated." _Man, I've always wanted to say that! _He stopped and smiled."So! You're the punk I've heard about." Pounding a fist into his open hand, he turned the jetpack back on. _Go ahead and run_.

With a cry of alarm, Hal turned and took off. Roxanne watched the retired hero take to the sky in pursuit, still astounded that Wayne had actually decided to come to their aid after all. He'd been so dead set against coming out of hiding. Maybe Megamind had convinced him. _Megamind…_ Running to the fountain, she scrambled over the rubble and metal, her face crumpling at the sight of the still form impaled on the point of the city's tallest building. He was still breathing shallowly, there was no blood visible, but she feared the pressure of the tower was all that was preventing him from bleeding to death in moments. The point had gone straight through his body – undoubtedly a mortal wound, even for someone like him. _No... All those years of bouncing back when you were a villain, and you're going to leave me now?_

She knelt beside him and reached out to cradle his head, carefully lifting his cheek off the hard concrete it was resting against. It was all she could do to make him more comfortable. She wanted to put her arms around him, to hug him one last time, but she knew any movement might cause him to slip away from her faster. And she needed to talk to him at least… there were still so many things to say. _I can't believe he's losing his life when he's finally done the right thing. This is so unfair! Where's his happy ending?_

He opened his eyes at her touch. "I'm sorry. I did the best I could."

Tears welled in her eyes immediately upon hearing his hoarse apology, and her own voice broke as she assured him, "I'm so proud of you."

She would have kissed him and gone on to tell him how much she would miss him and wasn't sure what she was going to do without him. She wanted to let him know that she wished she'd never questioned being with him, but seeing the look in her eyes, Minion decided if he was ever going to disobey orders, now was the time to do it. It was obvious how Ms Ritchie felt. If he had doubted it before, he couldn't anymore, and it was simply not fair letting her believe the person she loved was dying, no matter what Megamind had said. He reached for the watch and turned off the disguise.

"Minion?"

The look on her face startled him. _Well, he did say she wouldn't like it._ "Surprise! Heh heh," he joked with a feeble wave of his fins, still feeling woozy from being tossed and slammed around inside his dome before it broke. _Please don't be angry, Ms Ritchie. He did it for you_, he thought, seeing her staring in shock. "He's the real hero." He weakly pointed at the two men streaking past over their heads and fell over on his side, unaccustomed to the greater pressure of gravity out of water. _Wow... he's really pulling it off!_

Roxanne looked skyward and saw Wayne chasing a completely distraught Tighten closely. It took several seconds for her to put it all together. The disguise generating watch… Minion was wearing one. Megamind was actually Minion, Metro Man was… "Megamind." She watched as he zipped around the anti-hero, toying with him the way a cat plays with a rat before dispatching it. Finally the two men met head on. Unable to hear what was being said far overhead, she saw Hal flinch, then turn and disappear in the blink of an eye. She smiled as she walked to where Megamind hovered overhead, staring into the distance where his wayward creation had vanished. _I guess those disguises can be useful. I wonder how he's able to fly like that. _More than anything she was relieved it wasn't him lying next to the fountain.

Megamind looked down finally and noticed Roxanne watching. He slowly descended to where she stood waiting, smiling mysteriously. _Now what do I do? Should I tell her or let Wayne take the credit? _Still hovering just off the ground, he tried to think of one of Wayne's trite clichés to repeat before zipping off into the proverbial sunset, but something in Roxanne's eyes made him pause. She was looking at him so sweetly and holding out her hand, fingers gesturing for him to give her his hand in return. His heart sank, thinking she meant to thank the former hero for coming back and saving her.

_I saved her, but she thinks I'm Wayne. _Doubts clutched at him again_. She said they'd never been together. But... oh, I don't think I can bear to have her kiss me as _him_! This is worse than Bernard! Here I am blowing it again... She'll never forgive me after this._ As their hands touched, he knew he'd have to quickly reveal the truth before she reacted to him as Metro Man, but she reached up and turned the watch dial herself. His eyes widened. _She knew!_ As she smiled even broader at him in his true form, all his anxiety evaporated. Grasping her hand tighter, he smiled back, profoundly relieved._ Yes… she knew. Nothing much gets past Roxanne._

Lost in thought, they weren't aware of the crowd gathering around, stunned at the revelation of who their deliverer really was, and didn't hear another more sinister sound. Then as Roxanne was about to tell her new hero how relieved she was to find that he wasn't hurt, a snarky voice startled them both. Megamind saw her smile fade away, staring at something just over his shoulder. Finishing his descent to the ground, he wondered what had given him away.

"Pretty sneaky, Sis. But there's only one person I know who calls this town 'Metrocity'… you," Tighten sneered.

"Oops."_ Screwed that up._ Feeling the ground shudder at Hal's landing, Megamind spun around in a defensive posture, keeping Roxanne behind him, determination furrowing his brow. He wasn't about to let Hal get anywhere near her again. Sensing more trouble about to start, the citizens who had been watching scattered, running to the nearby buildings for cover.

Megamind's gut instinct was to strike first and strike hard. A lightning fast one-two punch had saved him a lot of trouble in prison dealing with newcomers who foolishly assumed the skinny blue teen in residence was a weakling. They quickly discovered that although he looked like an easy target, he wasn't. Fed up dealing with Hal's badassery and abuse of Roxanne, Megamind was ready to end the battle. As his second fist connected with Hal's face, which he later described as being very like much a block of cement in immovability as well as intelligence, the metal glove and blade shattered under the force of his blow but barely turned the man's head. Trying to stifle a cry, he knew with near certainty he'd broken his hand. It was a feeling he was familiar with. As Hal slowly turned back with a scowl, he had to admit the jetpack was a better approximation of Wayne's flying ability than the gloves were of his fists. _I'm in trouble._

Angry at being tricked yet again, Hal picked him up and slammed him against a parked car, knocking off the other glove as well. "Bet you think it's really funny, huh?" He directed a beam of laser at the blue man who dodged nimbly aside. "Let's all laugh at the really cool guy, huh?"

Megamind knew he couldn't simply fly away, leaving Roxanne at Hal's mercy again. Only the jetpack's speed and his own agility were keeping him from being ripped to shreds. _I've got to get him away from her._

"You're not going to be laughing for long!"

Roxanne watched helplessly. _What can I do?_ Although he was missing his target repeatedly, other objects in the path of Tighten's laser vision weren't so lucky. Buildings and cars sizzled and burned. He was carving up everything in the street but the ex-villain… and then she saw a welcome sight revealed by the smoke coming off the far thought of Megamind stepping out of the vehicle into the rain to try to talk to her._ "I lost my defuser gun the night you dumped me… alone, in the rain…" How hurt must he have been to lose a whole car_?_ If I just shout it out, Hal will see it too._ "Hey! Remember that night that I dumped you?"

The green eyes popped open as he ducked a car aimed at his head. "You're bringing this up _now_?"

"Well, I _did_ look back!"

"You did?" he asked in disbelief, dodging a bicycle. "You did?" he repeated louder, suddenly hopeful.

"Yes! And you should look back... right now!"

_Huh?_ He wasn't sure what she meant until he glanced back. _The car!_ "Oooh! I get it." The increased optimism he felt at seeing the tell-tale shimmery outline was tempered by disappointment. _Did she only say that to tell me where it is?_ he wondered as he turned and ran for the camouflaged Hudson. _Never mind…get the defusing gun… backseat_. With that, he could end this nightmare. As he lifted off the ground, flying to get to his goal faster, he felt the pack abruptly tear away, dropping him on his face as his nemesis laughed. _Ouch_. Wincing, he tried to get up again quickly, but it felt as though Metro Tower itself suddenly landed on his back, plastering him against the pavement. Then Hal was lifting him in the air, and Megamind was amazed to find his lungs would still inflate. His chest had seemed to be completely compressed by the massive stomp. _Need that gun..._ Looking back to calculate the distance and trajectory, he knew the fastest way to get to the car would also be the most painful. _Time to press some more buttons_.

"You're not going to make a fool out of me again!"

"I made you a hero," he reminded the man in tights hoarsely, then took a deeper breath, bracing for the blow to come. "You did the fool thing… _all by yourself_!"

With an outraged bellow, Hal punched him into the far building so hard the concrete cracked behind his head. _Oh, that hurt… _He groaned, seeing the car still about ten feet away_. And your aim was a little off_. His body begged him to stop, his vision doubled and cleared several times, and as he crawled toward the vehicle, he realized one of his legs wasn't functioning quite the way it should. _Keep going... almost there_…

Roxanne let out an appalled yelp at seeing Tighten send her defender flying. She couldn't believe he was still conscious. What could she do to help him? There was no way she could actually hurt Hal, but maybe making a distraction would buy him some time. Megamind was going to die right before her eyes if she didn't do something. Looking around for a weapon, anything to boost her courage, she spotted a street sign half buried in rubble. She frantically tugged at it, gritting her teeth until it pulled clear, and began running toward the two men just in time to see the ex-villain sent sky high on one of the Hudson's doors. "Megamind!" As he disappeared from sight, she knew she was too late. _He'll never survive the fall_. Hal began advancing on her slowly and deliberately with a look of pure malice. Dropping her useless weapon, she turned and fled again, certain that there was no hope for either of them now. _I can't outrun him... He'll be on me any second. I don't want to die!_

With grim satisfaction Hal watched her run, knowing he could snuff out her life whenever he chose. No one would laugh at him again. No one would think of him as a loser or call him a fool. No woman would dare turn him down when they saw what he was going to do to Roxanne.

Roxanne thought of Minion waiting in the rubble. Could he call on the brainbots for help? Was he even still alive – a fish out of water? Just as she reached the fountain, the door of the car fell from the sky and slammed down, barely missing her. Jumping back in alarm, she also saw Hal was getting close, stalking her slowly, a cold menacing gleam in his eyes. Panic took over. She jumped into the fountain, desperately seeking something, anything, to hide behind. "No."

"Say bye-bye, Roxie." Hal's eyes began to glow red, and she cringed, throwing up her arm in anticipation of the pain. A loud plop made them both pause and look down in surprise at the filigreed pistol settling onto the bottom of the pool. A second later a blue cube sank beside it, and then Megamind popped up between Hal and his damsel once again.

"Ollo." The defusing gun dropped neatly into his hands, and dodging one last ray of laser vision he shoved the tip up Hal's nostril and began to deconstruct the errant hero fate had chosen for him. _This _isn't_ going to hurt me more than it hurts you!_ Tighten struggled unsuccessfully against the man draining his powers until he was left spread-eagled on the ground. Roxanne thought he looked like nothing more than a deflated human balloon.

"The thing about bad guys? They always _lose_!" was Megamind's parting shot to the remainder of his evil creation. Then taking a deep breath, he wearily turned to see if Roxanne was all right.

She stood there overcome by the realization that when Hal got up again, he would only be Hal. And although Megamind had created the monster who'd wreaked havoc on the city, he'd also been the one to stop him. Shifting her gaze to the waiting blue hero, she smiled in awe. "You did it… _You won_!" No tricks necessary this time. He'd beaten Tighten as himself.

"Well," he answered, hoping she might understand that his efforts hadn't been about winning at all. "I finally had a reason to win… you."

Seeing him looking back at her with obvious affection and at least a little uncertainty, she threw her arms around him in a tremendous hug. _Oh, Megamind, what am I going to do with you? Just when I think I ought to be mad, you worm your way right back in my heart. Just by being you…_

It took a second for him to respond to her. The pain of his damaged body being squeezed barely registered, but the feeling of her pressed against him again was overwhelming. _She… maybe she will forgive me_. He hugged her back, carefully at first, and felt her squeeze tighter and rest her cheek against his. For a few moments he was floating on a wave of complete bliss, arms closing around her, her hair brushing his skin. _I shouldn't jump to conclusions_, he reminded himself. _She's probably just thankful to be alive… But I am sooo going to enjoy this while it lasts! _As he dropped his nose to her shoulder with a serene smile, a sound of coughing interrupted their private celebration. "Minion!"

Knowing the tower's point had only pierced his friend's mechanical body, he still wasn't sure how much injury the poor fish had actually sustained as a result of the crash. As soon as his pint-sized sidekick began to speak, Megamind knew the truth.

"I can't see… it's… cold and warm and… dark and light."

"It's me, Minion," he reassured the little thespian. "I'm right here."

Only with great difficulty was Minion able to resist giggling and blowing his cover. His delight over seeing Titan defeated was making him feel a bit silly and mischievous, and he couldn't resist making good use of the situation he found himself in. Megamind might not buy it, but he knew he had Roxanne. _This will be good…_ "We've had a lot of adventures together, you and I."

"We have, Minion." _Oh, all right. I'll play along. It's the least I can do for him. As long as he doesn't upset Roxanne too much_.

"I mean," he coughed for effect. "Most of them ended in… horrible failure." _Might as well admit it_. "But we won today… didn't we, Sir?" he added with a pathetic smile.

"Yes, Minion… We did. Thanks to you," Megamind answered sincerely.

"Code: We're the good guys now."

"Code: I guess we are."

Behind his blue buddy, Roxanne was tearing up, and Minion knew it was time to pour on the drama. "Oh! Oh! I'm going! …This is it! I'm… I'm going far away…" He choked and coughed and fell over with his tongue poking out, unable to keep from smiling at his own silly charade.

Megamind watched the end of his friend's performance impassively for a long moment. _All right, you've had your fun._

Roxanne was sniffling, thinking her hero had lost his best friend. She wished she'd had a chance to get to know Minion better as she watched the little body being carefully lifted out of the broken dome and casually tossed into the fountain. Megamind turned to her with a huge sigh. "Uh, what a drama queen!"

Jaw dropping, she watched Minion leap out of the water, looking very pleased with himself and distinctly not dead. "You know, I'm feeling much better now! Guess I just needed a swim."

_Oh, you little-! _She bent double and gasped in relief, steadying herself with a hand on Megamind's shoulder as he returned to stand beside her, shaking his head at his henchman's antics. "He had you, didn't he? Don't give me that face. He reels you in with that little face! Look at that face..."

"Whew!" she gasped, relieved and shaky and feeling a bit giddy herself. _How many near-death escapes can fit into one day? Hoo boy,_ _I'm going to have to watch these two! _Megamind and Minion laughed, and she joined in.

"We did it! We did it!" Minion shouted happily, splashing around the pool.

Watching Megamind pull a fist-pump, she felt overwhelmed by everything that had happened but certain of at least one thing. "You did it!"

"We won! We won! We won!" He picked her up and swung her around, making her laugh harder and wonder how he could be so energetic after the beating he'd taken. It shocked her to see him change in the blink of an eye, suddenly on guard, de-gun pulled on the crowd that was gathering closer to the fountain, cheering for the new hero. "Get back, you savages!"

With a hand at his wrist, she motioned soothingly to the startled crowd. "Sorry! Sorry! He's just… not used to positive feedback!" In an aside to the man who was warily eyeing everyone, still hyped up and ready to fight his way out of an angry mob, she said, "Cool it! They just want to congratulate you!"

Still frowning, he glanced at her quickly and then back at the faces of the people nearest him. They didn't really seem to be ready to attack. They seemed to be waiting to see what he would do next, slightly bewildered that the man who had just saved the city had drawn his weapon on them. "Really? Are you sure?"

Firmly but gently pressing his gun hand down, she answered with a chuckle. "Yes. I am sure. Relax! You're the hero, remember?" As he slowly lowered the pistol and then holstered it, the tension dissipated and the people watching began to smile again. Someone started clapping and gradually everyone joined in. Megamind looked around in wonder, somewhat confounded. _They're clapping for me?_ He felt Roxanne put a reassuring hand on his arm, and when he looked at her, she smiled encouragingly, making his heart swell. _As long as she's happy._

"Are you okay?" she asked with some concern. He looked all right, although a little overwhelmed, and she couldn't quite believe he had escaped completely unaffected by all Tighten's abuse. Metro Man had never put him through anything like what she'd just observed. _At least, not in public. Who knows what he went through in school._

"Yeah! Yeah, I'm fine," he answered, waving tentatively at the crowd, half expecting them to change their minds at any second. _I can't believe they're willing to just turn on a dime like this and think of me as… a hero now? Can it really be that easy?_

Gradually the applause died away and a hum of excited chatter rose around them instead. A few people, emboldened by Roxanne's obvious acceptance as well as the evidence of their own eyes, approached the once dangerous alien to offer congratulations or thanks and to be among the first to shake his hand. Many took cell phone pictures or made calls to share the news and that reminded Roxanne of something. _We need a camera down here._

Asking the nearest person for the use of their cell phone, she called her office. "Dan... Dan! It's me!" Excited squawking sounded so loudly, in her frazzled state Roxanne fumbled and nearly dropped the thing "DAN! Stop shouting at me or I'm going to hang up!" The voice at the other end dropped to a more reasonable level. "Yes… yes, I am ok….Listen! Send somebody down here to the fountain… yeah, at the roundabout. We need a camera… what do you mean somebody's already here? …Yeah, well obviously I'm not dead…. He's….Yes, Megamind defeated Tighten and… I know it was Hal! … oh, you've got to be kidding…Look! Who's got the camera?... Ok, well, thanks a lot. I'll get the story for you." She snapped the phone closed and handed it back to the young owner who had been watching the conversation with keen interest. "Thanks."

While she was busy, Megamind had sent a few of the brainbots to retrieve Minion's back up mecha suit from the lair and instructed others to begin cleaning up, then he returned to glad-handing the citizenry still pressing in on him. Finding the once mysterious and fascinating villain now very approachable, the crowd gained confidence, and more people began to push forward to greet him or stare or take photos. He found all the attention and familiarity slightly unnerving. He'd never mingled down at the level of the peons before, always having looked down on the crowd from above during his evil schemes. Even in prison he'd been mostly kept separate from the other inmates once his private cell had been built. Suddenly hearing Hal groaning, he readily turned away from a small group of new fans at the sound. He didn't trust completely that there would be no after effects from the DNA defusing, never having tried it before. And he didn't want Hal harassing Roxanne, so he moved to stand over the man with a frown. "You're better off staying down there. Who knows what this crowd will do." Actually it was obvious people weren't at all willing to stray near Hal's vicinity.

"…gotta be kidding," Hal mumbled. He opened his eyes and saw the blue face looking down at him. "What do they think they're clapping for? …You? …Got _everybody_ fooled now, huh?" Hal grunted and raised his voice as he clumsily attempted to right himself, still dazed, legs tangled up in the fabric draped around him. "It's all tricks, you morons! He's… he uses disguises and…can't trust him... "

Roxanne had returned to stand beside Megamind, frowning as they both watched the former cameraman. He had succeeded in sitting upright at last, grousing loudly as he weaved back and forth unsteadily from the effects of the DNA alteration. Still defiant and angry, he was determined to convince anyone listening that the man who had saved the day didn't deserve their praise or their trust.

_He's worse than I ever thought. How can Megamind just stand here listening to this without defending himself? _He was though, standing there with a strangely pensive look on his face, listening to the man who had once been his hope for a new lease on life tell all his sins. Even Minion sat in the fountain quietly, listening to Hal but watching his boss. Finally she couldn't stand hearing the insults anymore. "Hal… hey, Hal!" She repeated it several times while he continued his babbling until she finally caught his attention.

"Huh?" He squinted up at her with one eye.

"I've been wanting to tell you this for a long time… Shut the hell up."

"Yeah?" He sneered at her. "Make me, bitch!"

Megamind's right hook shot out before he even thought, not remembering his broken hand until it connected with the man's meaty face again. Hal's head snapped back, but the blue baddie nearly dropped to his knees. "Oooh! CRAP!" Roxanne gasped, seeing him turn pale as he cradled his hand.

Hal fell backward again, all but unconscious. As Roxanne hovered near Megamind, wondering what to do for him as he groaned and gritted his teeth, she heard Hal laugh weakly down on the ground. He'd looked up and seen the hero doubled over in agony. "Ha!… loser… he can't even-"

Pulling the de-gun from its holster at Megamind's thigh, she turned the dial quickly, aimed and fired. A gelatinous goo covered Hal from his shocked face to his feet. "What?" She looked at the gun more closely. "Oh, nuts. I had it on de-coupage."

"Here you go!" Minion called cheerfully from the fountain and began helpfully splashing the sticky man with water.

"Ah! Stop it!" Hal yelled.

Roxanne was frowning at the gun, reading the barrel, until Megamind hinted, "You want to go back one."

"Oh, thanks!" Finding the setting, she aimed and fired again.

Hal held up his hands. "No-" A blue cube fell to the ground, but as Minion leaped up to perch on the side of the fountain and get a better look, he splashed a small wave of water over it, making Hal reappear again.

"Oops! Sorry about that, Ms Ritchie!"

"No problem, Minion," she answered cheerfully, taking aim at Hal's shocked face and firing again. She chuckled and smiled at Minion, who grinned back mischievously. She winked at him, and with a quick flip of his fin, he sent another splash onto the blue cube. As Hal's outraged face appeared yet again, Roxanne dehydrated him with a wicked smirk. "I could do this all day."

A news van pulling up ended their game. Roxanne turned to Megamind to return his pistol, thinking about the last time she had handled it. The first time he'd kissed her. _Was that really only a few weeks ago? Wow… so much has happened since then._ "It's pretty handy, isn't it?" she remarked with a smile.

"You were enjoying that far too much," he teased, getting a kick out of watching her use his favorite weapon despite the pain he was in. He reached for it with his left hand.

When she noticed, she remembered his first punch to Titan's face and his cry of pain. "Is your hand broken?"

"Oh." He looked down at it. "Well, possibly." _Why not just tell her yes?_

"I can call an ambulance. You should probably go to a hospital."

Listening in, Minion muttered, "Good luck with that…"

"NO!" Megamind's vehement answer startled her. "I mean… the news van is here! Weren't you… planning to do something?"

"Yeah, ok." _Whoa. What is up with that?_ "Are you sure you're ok? That was a lot more punishment than I've seen you take before."

"Oh, I'm fine," he replied casually, suddenly feeling his ribs beginning to burn, but fixing her with a more intent gaze, he added, "As long as you're all right."

She wasn't sure if she really believed his assurances, although he did look ok except for the hand he carefully protected. _How could he go through all that and still be standing here? I know I'm starting to feel kind of wonky. Man, my head hurts._ Smiling anyway, she gave him her own assurances. "I'm ok. Let's put you on TV, and give Metro City something to talk about." She didn't want to waste any time letting the city know the truth of what had happened and turned to check in with the cameraman whom her boss had informed her had been nearby the whole time. After Hal forced her to broadcast the message begging Megamind to save her life, Dan had sent one crew member downtown with a camera, determined to get the scoop on the fate of the city's most famous reporter. Roxanne was hardly surprised at her boss's cold ambition for the best news story, even to the point of risking one of his employees' lives to get film at the scene. She wondered who had been bold enough to go along with his request, and was pleased to see a young man she recognized as a newbie bent on rising in the ranks as fast as possible step from the van with a camera at the ready. Several police cars arrived at that time as well due to many onlookers in the crowd having called 911 after Tighten was safely dispatched.

In the fountain, the smile on Minion's face over the game he'd been enjoying with Ms Ritchie had dropped away. "Sir?"

Megamind was watching the reporter quickly prepare with a small smile of satisfaction. _Always a reporter. There she is doing what she loves. I really did save her_. "Mmm?"

"Are you really sure you're ok?"

"Of course." He was beginning to feel a little tired. His body was starting to ache but a deep calm had settled over him as well. In fact, he felt so calm, it was almost an effort to bother breathing. Breathing wasn't important anyway… was it? Everything around him seemed to be slowing down. He was so very tired. It felt as though gravity has suddenly gotten stronger and was pulling him into the ground. But it didn't matter. Roxanne had started her broadcast just a couple steps away from him, and he wondered when the fog had rolled in that she seemed to be standing in. "Of course I'm ok, Minion... doesn't Roxanne look _amazing_…"

"Sir? Sir…"

"…on this, a day that will never be forgotten in the history of Metro City. A day when the true definitions of 'villain' and 'hero' came sharply into focus. The man who once proclaimed himself Metro City's Evil Overlord risked his own life to save that city from a super-powered maniac bent on revenge and destruction." Pausing, she took a deep breath and put her hand to her chest. "And on a personal note, he also saved _my life_." As she spoke, Roxanne crossed over a few steps to bring the new hero into the shot with her as the camera panned to keep up. Several police officers stood nearby, having approached the fountain to make sure Hal would be taken into custody promptly. Seeing the cube on the ground and the camera rolling, they simply waited. "Today, I think we all have to ask ourselves, what is it that makes someone a hero? I'm here with Megamind, hoping to give all our viewers a new-"

Behind her, the city's new defender collapsed.


	23. The Doctor Will See You Now

_SURPRISE! :D So many readers left kind words of encouragement last chapter, I jotted out this one in record time and decided to lay it down without further ado. So here it is! I don't have much experience of writing OCs yet. I find them fun but tricky. Dr. Morrow - well, he was mostly just fun. lol Thank you so much AGAIN! I know there are so many amazingly good stories in this fandom from such talented writers that it's really humbling to see folks still willing to follow along with this one. Hugs to you all! _

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><p>Richard Doyle had watched the news all afternoon and recognized that events were coming to a head. Although the live coverage of Tighten and Megamind's meeting was obviously being recorded by a someone staying well back from the action and was interrupted occasionally by that person scurrying to take up a new position, the brutal treatment being dished out to his favorite prisoner was still obvious. Cringing at times, he sincerely hoped Megamind would survive. <em>If he does make it, he's going to need some serious bandaging up<em>. Pressing a call button on his desk, he waited, drumming his fingers.

It wasn't as though the man had never tangled in fights before. Although he rarely started an altercation, he was fully capable of dealing out and taking his share of punishment. Before his public career began, new inmates who felt they had to prove themselves nearly always targeted the slender-built blue prisoner as an easy mark, the first step up the ladder on the prison's social scale. Most didn't realize until far too late that they had chosen the top step on that ladder right off the bat. But it hadn't always been that way. It wasn't until the warden noticed the young alien's bruises, often freshest after a day at school, that he realized how much trouble the boy was having at times and yet never complained, and by some discreetly dropped hints and making the staff aware of special permission granted, he encouraged the youngster to make use of the facility's gym at odd hours, when he knew no one else would be there. There had also been one or two seasoned convicts who lent a hand in his informal training, hard men whose only soft place left in their hearts was for the big-brained child who preferred to grow up where fate had dropped him. Taking him under their wing, they'd taught him a thing or two about giving as well as you got and surviving to tell about it.

Later, there were individuals who assumed they might be able to curry some sort of favor or gain a pardon by attempting to take out the city's famous super villain. None ever succeeded, and they almost always ended up sincerely wishing they hadn't bothered trying. Eventually, when the infamous man was becoming a nuisance and an embarrassment to the establishment with his brazen coming and going as he pleased, a specialized cell had been built in an attempt to curtail his freedom. Equipped with high-tech scanning devices that were supposed to detect surges of brain activity indicating that the 'Master of All Villainy' was hatching a new plot and planning another escape, it ended up mostly providing him with a safe haven in which to rest and recover away from unwanted attention either from inside or outside the prison walls. Still, there had been times he fell prey to attacks or returned from another failed plan in dire straits, and when necessary he would consent to being treated by the prison physician although he adamantly refused to ever be transported to a hospital. Not since his first and only visit to one when he was a child, not long after the warden realized the alien boy was not going to cooperate with being placed in any traditional home.

"Ah, David," he greeted the person who walked sedately into his office with a look of congenital boredom. "I assume you've seen-"

"Yes, yes, of course… still providing the city's best live entertainment." He flapped a hand at the TV indifferently and began rearranging small items on the desk to the warden's annoyance. "And I suppose you want me to go out there and treat him. If he lives, that is."

"I give him a 50-50 chance," the warden answered casually to hide his concern. "And yes, I was going to send you out with an ambulance. Who else could help him?" Pausing, he added dryly, "You know he won't go to a hospital."

"They probably wouldn't take him anyway, considering his record."

"That was a long time ago. And I can hardly blame him."

"Oh, he was practically a baby, Richard. How could he have even known what was going on?"

Warden Doyle eyed the man sourly. An excellent physician, Dr. Morrow knew more about Megamind from a physiological perspective than anyone, but he had an annoying tendency to enjoy baiting people into arguments by making claims he knew perfectly well weren't true. "You know that he knew exactly what was going on, and you also know that he has perfect recall of the entire episode."

"Well…. whatever." He finally looked directly at the grey-haired man sitting at the desk. "So, do you expect me to go down there and recover his broken body or bandage up his owies?"

_What a cold fish he can be._ "Which do you think it'll be?"

"Believe it or not, Richard, I think he'll be fine."

Frowning, Warden Doyle huffed quietly into his moustache. "Have you been watching this?" he gestured to the screen on which flashed a glimpse of Megamind being punched through the air into a building.

"Yes." Dr. Morrow shrugged slightly. "I have. But I know how he's built. I know what he can take. And I know how damned stubborn he is. Plus, ah… you did see that reporter, I assume."

"Hmm. Roxanne Ritchie. I saw her. Somewhat surprising, considering their history…" It was his opinion that although the strongest man would have difficulty taking Megamind down, the right woman would be able to crush him very easily. The man had so little experience of any kind of affection. If the reporter was only interested in making the news with the villain turned hero, it could eventually throw him into a tailspin. "I hope that's not going to be a problem."

"Oh, come now, Richard! The man's just past 30. I think we're a bit beyond setting a curfew for him and sitting him down for 'the talk'. It's about time he get out and experience life. Ups and downs and all." Looking up at the television for a moment, the doctor clasped his hands behind his back and strolled from the room just as casually as he had arrived. "I'll be ready to go shortly."

Warden Doyle watched him leave, knowing that the oddly mannered man really had almost as much of a fatherly relationship toward their blue-skinned inmate as he did himself despite the superior, detached attitude he radiated. Glancing up to the TV again, he leaned back in his chair to watch the final scenes of the battle unfold, composing his face into a scowl to hide his anxiety.

* * *

><p>"Megamind? Megamind! Meg- …Minion! What should I do for him?"<p>

Minion watched helplessly from the edge of the fountain, frustrated at how little he was capable of without his mechanical suit. _There are times I wish I wasn't so much of a fish. Where are those worthless brainbots?_ "Sir! Is he breathing, Ms Ritchie?"

She put her nose near his face. "Yes." Bending down to him on the ground caused her face to screw up in pain as her own head pounded harder. _What were we thinking standing out here on the street? We should have gone straight to a hospital._ "Someone call 911!" she called out to the police officers who had moved closer when he collapsed and held the crowd back as she tried to arrange him more comfortably. One of them also took custody of the cube that was Hal. Pulling a couple chunks of rubble from under his back, she heard a groan. "Megamind…." Smoothing her fingers down the side of his face, she watched him closely. "What hurts?"

"…what doesn't?" He grimaced. "...ribs… head…"

Realizing the camera was still rolling, Roxanne motioned to her co-worker to stop recording as an ambulance pulled up near the fountain. "That was fast," Roxanne marveled aloud. A tall, fit man with sandy hair got out of the vehicle and walked toward the little group unconcernedly.

"Well," he greeted them dryly. "What's going on here? Got yourself in a fix this time, huh, Megs?" A breathy groan sounded from the prostrate form, and the physician raised his eyebrows in mild surprise at the lack of a snappy comeback. "Better have a look at you then." He motioned to a couple of EMS attendants who hurried forward to prepare the injured man and put him on a stretcher as Roxanne and Minion looked on anxiously. Then he demanded that the police push the crowd back farther. He looked down at the fallen hero being strapped onto the gurney. "Guess we'll be taking you to the hospital this time…"

"NO," a surprisingly strong voice roared back at him.

A tight-lipped smile creased the physician's face. "That's more like it," he muttered. "All right, let's have him in the back of the bus." He turned to Roxanne. "And then I want to see you. In the meantime, sit here by this… fish, and wait quietly." He walked away to do his job.

"Who's that?" Roxanne asked, perching on the edge of the fountain obediently.

"Huh. That's Dr. Morrow. He's the prison physician," Minion informed her. While he wasn't overly fond of the doctor, he knew this was the best person to be taking care of Megamind, and his worries were somewhat assuaged seeing his friend safely under the care of the gruff man who almost never called him by name.

"Is he always such a prick?"

Minion chuckled. "Yeah. He is. But he knows what he's doing. He's been taking care of Sir since he was a little tyke. Nobody knows more about him. Well, physically at least." A small group of brainbots arrived carrying his back up suit, and Minion looked it over carefully to make sure everything was in order. _Oh, I didn't even think about that._ "Ms Ritchie? I'm going to need your help." He noticed her slightly glassy-eyed stare and the way she had wrapped her arms around herself as though feeling chilled. He wondered what she was thinking about, but then she roused herself to answer him.

"Sure, Minion. What can I do?"

"I need water in my dome. We can use the fountain's water, but I don't know how we'll get it in there."

One of the police officers nearby overhearing the conversation interrupted to offer his assistance. Retrieving an empty drink cup from a squad car, he rinsed it out and began to fill the suit's clear dome.

"Minion, that water can't be very clean. Will it be good enough for you? It won't hurt you?"

"Oh, the filtration system in the suit will take care of it. We'll just give it a few minutes, and pretty soon it'll have it all filtered and cleaned and buffered for me just right. Sir made sure we could make use of just about any kind of liquid at hand if necessary." His thoughts wandered again to his friend in the back of the ambulance. The suit's habitat modification system hummed quietly as the two sat waiting in silence. They watched Roxanne's cameraman through the open side door of the news van, calmly checking equipment as he awaited further instructions. _I should keep the camera rolling. I ought to be getting the story_, she thought. But somehow it seemed wrong to make Megamind's crisis into a news event. Especially since it was due to him having risked his life to save hers. Fatigue was creeping over her as well, clouding her thoughts. Everything seemed stripped back to raw emotions, and all she could think of was that she wanted to see him walk out of that vehicle with a smile and a wave and a laugh. _But he's not going to. I should have made him to go to a hospital._ The crowd mingled and murmured, waiting to see what would happen next, held back by the police who were just as curious.

"What does he have against hospitals?" Roxanne asked so quietly Minion wasn't sure if she was actually speaking to him.

"Ah. Well..." He hesitated, knowing his tendency to divulge too much information, just as he had back when she'd first questioned him about the de-gun. _Oh heck, it looks like she's going to be around for a while. _"He's only been to a hospital once. See, at first they tried to put us in foster homes, but Sir wouldn't have it. He wasn't just any baby, you know. He really thought the prison was where his parents meant for him to grow up. Anyway, after a lot of fuss and… uh, calculated mischief Sir kept getting into, they finally realized he wasn't going _anywhere_, so the warden wanted to have a full work up done and get a baseline history established for him. Find out if there was anything special he needed. _I_ could have told them that, but nobody listened to me. They shipped him off to a hospital and wouldn't let me go with him. I wish I'd tried harder," he sighed sadly. "Because apparently some soulless doctor more interested in getting his name in the medical journals then in following _any_ set of ethics decided that little blue aliens living in prisons didn't have rights. And since there wasn't anybody to speak up for him, he started doing all kinds of tests on him and treating him like a lab rat. Sir said he was so scared at first, he didn't fight back much, but when he heard them talk about sending him away to another facility, he started causing trouble."

"Oh god… he's been through so much." _Does that really excuse everything he's done though? Terrorizing the city and kidnapping me and… Bernard? _Her heart sank like a rock thinking about Bernard and the night she'd raged at him alone in her apartment. In spite of her mental fog, she instinctively knew this is not the time to rehash that episode. Not yet.

Again Roxanne had spoken so quietly, Minion didn't know for sure if she even meant for him to hear. _Is she about to cry?_ He hurried on. "Somehow the warden finally got wind of it all and came to claim him again. By that time, he was so traumatized and betrayed, he would never hear of going back to a hospital ever again." Minion stopped, feeling rather emotional himself. He still carried the guilt of being absent at a time when his ward had needed him most. It had been a long three days of waiting and worrying, and even now he could hardly bear to think of what his friend has suffered through all alone. He glanced at the reporter next to him, seeing his sadness reflected in her face as she sat staring at the ground, thinking her own thoughts. A soft ping indicated his habitat was ready. "Ms Ritchie?"

She looked down at him. "Yes?"

"Um…" He blushed slightly. "I need you to… pick me up and put me in the dome now."

"Oh, of course."

As Roxanne reached down into the fountain with both hands, Minion was aware that she probably had no idea what such contact meant to him. She couldn't know how sensitive his ventral ganglion were or that even Sir was not accustomed to touching him on a regular basis. He had often wondered what physical interactions with his own species would have been like, but having grown up on Earth, the only type of social interaction he was familiar with was of the human variety, and in many ways those gestures and actions didn't translate over to his particular anatomy very well. In the prison he had surreptitiously studied library books and websites on terrestrial fish species, particularly their social structure and… mating habits. But somehow it hadn't felt quite right, hadn't touched a nerve. He felt more strongly than ever that although his physiology was so similar to certain Earth ichthyoids, his people must enjoy very different social exchanges than mere fish did. He looked up at Roxanne shyly as her hands closed gently around him. They were trembling a little, whether from the uncertainty of handling him or from all the events of the day weighing on her or both, he didn't know.

Roxanne worried a little about hurting him and also about what he would feel like. Would he be slimy? Slippery? She hoped she wouldn't drop him. How much did he weigh? She resolved to shove aside her rampant curiosity for once and simply help him. It seemed more respectful, and he deserved it, having helped to save her life. As she lifted him from the water, she noted that he was heavier than he appeared._ It must be floating in the water that makes it seem as though he ought to be lighter._ He had the solid, weighty feel of a large cantaloupe, but his skin was smooth and sleek. She tried to stop her fingers from trembling without digging into him or squeezing him too tightly. Some of his projections just had that certain appearance of being the sensitive type of bodily structure, and she neither wanted to hurt or… stimulate them. Solemnly lifting him higher, she set him at the edge of the dome's circular opening.

Just before diving into the familiarity of his habitat again, Minion paused to look down at the lovely woman who had consented to touch him. Obviously she'd tried her best to be considerate and careful. She might well be the only woman who would ever put her hands on him. Sir's were more hard and wiry, the strength in his fingers plainly felt. Roxanne's hands were softer, gentler, altogether more unintentionally sensual. He knew he would never forget the feeling of her fingers gliding along his sides as she drew her hands away from him, trying to make sure he was secure on the edge of the dome before letting go completely. He was sure her intentions were nothing other than cautious helpfulness, but it had still felt… wonderful. Glancing down at her self-consciously, he gratefully acknowledged her assistance. "Thank you, Ms Ritchie." He wanted to say it in the clear air in his own voice outside the suit's vocal projection device. It seemed a more personal way to thank her for such a personal gesture. He slipped into the water and turned around to smile at her shyly again.

_I have a feeling he got more out of that than I did._ She felt a little heat rise in her cheeks as she smiled back at him. "You're very welcome, Minion."

"Did I miss something here?" Dr. Morrow approached them both, looking from one to the other with mild curiosity. Not waiting for an answer, he chided Roxanne, "Do your knees not bend? I told you to sit and wait quietly."

"I was just helping him back into his tank," she explained, sitting down on the fountain's rim again.

"Oh, is that what that was?" the doctor commented. Putting his stethoscope into his ears, he gave her a mildly skeptical glance. Roxanne blushed. Listening to her chest, he asked, "How is your head?"

"It hurts. And I feel cold. And I was a little dizzy before, but that seems to have passed."

"Easy there, dear, you might just overwhelm me with information." With a look of concentration, he ran his fingers through her hair, over her scalp and along her neck. His hands moved with clinical competence. "Typical reporter, of course. Diarrhea of the mouth." Hearing Roxanne gasp indignantly, he went on. "You have a concussion. Not a bad one, but bad enough that you'll need to take it easy for a few days. I recommend bed rest. I didn't say _whose_ bed, but I did say _rest_." He turned to Minion before she could respond. "You, fish. Go to the ambulance there and ask for a blanket."

Used to the doctor's off-putting mannerisms, Minion shook his head but complied. _Whose bed… just what does he think they've been up to?_

As he walked away, the doctor examined Roxanne's eyes and murmured, "How's your heart?" Seeing her frown slightly, he continued. "Do you have a strong heart? Good intentions? The ability to be understanding?"

_Is he really asking me this, or am I just really out of it? "_Dr. Morrow... is he ok?"

The physician stopped his examination and straightened up, looking at her blankly for a moment before answering. "There is something I should tell you about Megamind. Brace yourself, my dear..."

Roxanne stared at him apprehensively, holding her breath.

"He's an alien."

Her shoulders slumped as she rolled her eyes, a sarcastic remark ready on her lips, but he continued in his business-like fashion. "That means he's not made quite like you and I. His bones bend more. Forces that would break yours or mine, he can bounce back from. Not completely without damage, but he heals faster than we do too. He has a high pain tolerance. He grew up in a prison, so he's also been psychologically conditioned to deal with a rough lifestyle." He raised an eyebrow at her. "He's a bit of an adrenaline junkie too, in case you hadn't noticed." With an abrupt change in attitude, he added in a gently sincere tone, "The man can take a lot of abuse, Ms Ritchie. But I'm not sure how he'd handle a broken heart."

Without waiting for her to respond, he ran his fingers down her back, making her draw in her breath sharply. "Hurts there? That ought to bruise up nicely. Megamind never used to tie you up as tight as that, did he?" He resumed his curt demeanor. "You also have mild whiplash, and I'm impressed because after what I saw on TV today I thought it would be worse. You must be fairly fit. Again, the prescription is bed rest." He raised another eyebrow at her. "Avoid any strenuous sexual activity for at _least_ a week." He paused. "That means the really fun kind."

As Minion returned with the blanket, he saw Roxanne's cheeks blazing red. There was no telling what the outrageous Dr. David Morrow had said to her, but a sense of protectiveness filled him. He handed the blanket to the physician who ignored his pugnacious expression and draped it over Roxanne's shoulders with surprising gentleness. Then he helped her stand up with a hand at her elbow. "Follow." He began walking with her toward the emergency vehicle just as the attendants opened the back doors and a weary-looking Megamind carefully exited to the sound of a rousing cheer from the waiting crowd, his hand in a splint. Roxanne began to rush toward him, but the doctor gripped her elbow harder and commanded, "Gently, gently," before releasing her. She checked the speed of her steps but still moved swiftly. As she began to put her arms around him, he gave a slight grunt of pain, and she pulled back again, fearful of hurting him more.

"No, wait" he protested and holding his bandaged hand aside, he put an arm around her, coaxing her closer again. It didn't matter how much everything hurt, he wasn't going to pass up any chance to have her near. The pain faded into the background anyway as Roxanne put her lips to his and surprised him with a gentle kiss. She surprised herself too, but when he immediately responded with that same eager tenderness she remembered from before, she readily surrendered to the moment and forgot about questioning if it was right or not. The slightly sick feeling in her stomach, the headache, pains, and nagging worry gave way to only being aware of those same blue lips that had seduced her in her bedroom. Her deep thankfulness that he was all right shifted to passion again. They kissed as though that nighttime session had never been interrupted before hearing the doctor scold, "What did I just tell you?" Roxanne looked over at him guiltily as her defender rested his blue forehead against her hair. Then the man looked pointedly at Megamind as well. "And you!"

"Shut up, David," Megamind muttered, fully engaged in enjoying Roxanne's nearness. She looked back at him again, and they studied each other intently, barely aware of the eccentric physician's voice in the background.

"Fine then. You both know your diagnoses." He gestured at the hero. "Badly bruised ribs, concussion, broken hand (you really could have done without that second hit, Megs), an interesting number of strained and torn muscles, God knows how many contusions… I'd say you got off lightly although that black eye might ruin your dashing good looks for a while."

Then he pointed at the reporter. "Whiplash, mild concussion, friction burns, watch that back… _and_… I would suggest you're both in shock and might not be _fully_ cognizant of what you're doing right now..." Faces close together, they paid no attention to him. Roxanne stroked lightly over a bruise that was starting to bloom on one blue cheekbone, frowning at it with a sigh, while Megamind stood gazing at her with eyes half closed and his one good arm holding her as tightly to him as the painful ribs would allow, mesmerized by her attention. Knowing the situation they were in was not conducive to making good decisions, Dr. Morrow rolled his eyes, feeling he'd already done his best to warn them against rushing into things. "You know what you're supposed to do. And what I told you both _not_ to do… like you're going to listen to me…" he muttered before turning to Minion. "You know the drill. He's mildly dehydrated… _again_. Try to get something in him other than coffee for once."

"IV?" Minion asked, happy to have something to think about rather than gawking open-mouthed at the couple wrapped up in each other as though they were the only two people left on Earth and trying to act as a shield to keep them from the public's sight.

"Not unless you think it's warranted. Oh hell. You could give him one just to keep him on a shorter leash. Enforce bed rest. Although we both know how unlikely it is he'll follow that advice, at least you have bait this time," he suggested, motioning with a thumb over his shoulder at Roxanne. "Keep an eye on them. But not too closely." Jumping into the back of the ambulance, he returned in a minute with a prescription in hand. "Roxanne." When she looked at him again, he held it up between them, making Megamind blink as though he'd just woken up from a dream. "Percocet. Use it if you need it. Keep in mind that it could make you rather loopy and highly suggestible… especially around him." He poked a finger into the tattered Romeo's side as he stepped down from the vehicle again.

"Davi-! Ow!"

"And now I'm about to drive away with your portable camouflage here," he indicted the open rear doors that along with Minion's bulky body had been screening them for the most part from the watchful crowd. "And although I'm sure the temptation to stick around and bask in the adoration of the masses, riding on their shoulders, kissing ugly babies, and performing miracles is _very_ great… I suggest you all go home. Yes, even you, professional workingwoman. Right about now you're wondering if you should try to fit in a little more broadcasting on this auspicious occasion and see if you can get the public fully, well and truly on his side, but it's not going to be necessary anyway." He added cryptically, "Better watch your own back instead."

_What does he mean by that?_ Roxanne wondered as he gently pushed the two apart and aside so he could close the doors. "Go home with him and help that fish keep him in bed where he's supposed to be. At least for a few days." Suddenly he paused and patted her on the back, adding quietly, "You're just what he needs." Then he walked around to the driver's side, calling back, "Be good to each other. Play nice." He got in and started it up. Leaning out the open window, he fixed Megamind with a very serious expression. "…congratulations, Megs. Don't blow it." His face broke into a rare smile as he drove off slowly, parting the crowd, lights flashing.

The three stood watching him leave until Roxanne mentioned, "He must be right about the shock. I do feel kind of devastated."

"No," Megamind answered, watching the ambulance depart. "He has that effect on everybody."

They turned to each other again, but the moment that had allowed them to share that first smoldering gaze was gone. Roxanne dropped her eyes first. Megamind looked to see where Minion had gotten to and saw him sitting in the Hudson, still missing its door. As the engine turned over, he called out to them happily, "It still works!" Brainbots scurried here and there retrieving the scattered pieces of Megamind's inventions, returning with them to the lair.

A limousine pulled up, and at the sight of the city's tubby mayor ungracefully rolling out, his best 'for television' smile already plastered across his face, Megamind muttered, "Oh, bring on the clowns…" He turned to Roxanne with a look of mild distress. "I know I'm going to have sit down with all the right people and make statements and shake hands sooner or later but... oh, I _don't_ have the strength right now."

"Good," she agreed as Minion pulled up in the car. "Me either. Let's get out of here."_ And screw Dan too. I got as much of the story as I could, and in my condition he ought to be grateful. Today I am the news!_ The mayor had just reached them, hand already extended, watching as Megamind quickly got in the backseat. Roxanne shook his hand instead as his smile was replaced by a look of bewilderment. "Mr. Mayor, thank you for coming. We're just leaving! If you would call me at my office later this week, I'd be very glad to help you set up a meeting with our city's new hero. But I'm afraid that right now, he's under doctor's orders to rest." She flashed him a smile and got in the car. "I'm sure you understand. We want him to look his best for the photos!"

"Uh…" He stood staring after them and gave a start when they disappeared as Minion turned the invisibility mode back on.

"Where to, Sir?" Minion asked cheerfully, glad to be away from the crowds and the fuss.

Megamind looked questioningly at Roxanne. "My apartment, Minion. I want to pick up some things before we take him back home." _Maybe get a quick shower._ She thought of when they'd last been there and wondered how much damage Hal had left behind.

"Want me to look my best for photos? Don't I always?" Megamind asked with a crooked smile, making her chuckle. "Where did you learn to smooth talk your way out of a situation like that, Ms Ritchie?"

"I have no idea," she admitted, leaning her head back against the seat. "Desperation makes you do funny things. Well, and being a reporter you do learn how to, er, handle people at times. But honestly? We can't hold them off forever. You'd better get used to the idea. There will be a lot of pictures, interviews, questions, papers to sign…"

"Stop!" He put a hand to his forehead. "Please stop! My giant blue head feels like it's going to explode just thinking about it." _This is going to take some getting used to._ He could foresee that his ability to come and go and do as he pleased was going to be at least partly curtailed by this new lifestyle, and he thought briefly of Wayne. "I do want to thank you for getting us out of there." He reached over and squeezed her hand, wishing he had the courage to kiss her again instead, but the strange and wonderful moment they'd shared at the back of the ambulance seemed to have passed.

She looked back at him. _I haven't even thanked him for saving my life_. Words seemed a woefully inadequate way to pay him back for risking everything to come to her rescue and proving himself the hero he was. There were a lot of things they had to talk about that would require words, but so far they seemed to connect with each other more easily without speaking at all._ Is it enough to build a relationship on? Ugh... I'm way too tired for those mental gymnastics right now_. As she studied his face, still attractive to her under the bruises and grazes, she wondered. _So, Roxanne... How are you going to thank him?_


	24. It's a Matter of Trust

"Oh, wow."

"…yeah. How are we going to get past _them_?" They sat in the invisible car looking out at a small crowd of reporters and cameras waiting by Roxanne's apartment. She turned to look at Megamind. "I don't think I can sweet talk my way out of this one. Especially with Tom Raines over there. He'll follow me right upstairs." A tabloid reporter, she didn't want to tangle with him at all.

Megamind knew the solution immediately but couldn't bring himself to suggest that she use the same device that had already caused her so much grief. He didn't have to.

"Oh! Just use the disguise generators," Minion suggested helpfully.

Roxanne stiffened. She glanced at her defender who was watching her apprehensively. "Ok… yeah, that would probably work."

Megamind perked up at her willingness. "I'll go with you."

"I don't think so. You should wait here. Rest. I won't be gone long."

He thought about her raging while he listened outside the door and feeling her cling to his hand as they waited for Tighten to give up his search. "No, I don't want you going in there alone. And I'd like to see… how much damage has been done."

"Damage?" Minion questioned over the back of the seat as he watched the two.

Megamind gave his sidekick a patient look. "I'll tell you about it later. Give me your watch."

Taking it off, Minion was intensely curious about why Ms Ritchie's apartment would be damaged, but having noticed her reaction, he knew he was going to have to wait to get the whole story. _I hate being left in the dark._ He watched as Megamind strapped the device on her wrist and briefly instructed her on how to use it.

"These are fairly new, so we don't actually have very many avatars programmed into them yet." Turning the dial for her, he added, "Do you think any of them would know the warden if they saw him?"

She looked down at her arm, now seemingly covered in a man's blue suit jacket, turning it this way and that. _What an amazing invention_. "Probably not. We'll just have to risk it. What about you?"

"Um…" There was only one avatar in his watch's repertoire that was inconspicuous enough to pass through a crowd of people unnoticed. Roxanne seemed to know what he was thinking. She sighed.

"Go ahead."

As Bernard appeared once again, Megamind told Minion to drive around the block so they could exit the car without seeming to appear out of thin air. He noticed Roxanne looking carefully out the window, away from him.

* * *

><p>"Hey! Is that… Richard Doyle from the pen?"<p>

"Looks like him. What would he be doing here at Roxanne's apartment?"

"Well, let's go ask him."

Tom Raines caught the grey-haired man just as he was about to enter the apartment building. "Excuse me! Warden Doyle?"

The man stopped and turned slowly to look back at the reporter who had addressed him. "Yes?" _Wow, it even does the voice._

"Are you here regarding Ms Ritchie and her apparent rescue today by your most famous blue inmate?"

The man straightened up and looked down his nose at the reporter and his cameraman. "Most famous blue inmate? I only have one blue inmate. And, no. I am not. This is my day off, and I'm here visiting my sister. She's… elderly."

"But surely you've seen what's been happening. How about giving us a statement about this shocking turn of events? You don't really think Megamind's changed, do you?" He gave the warden a conspiratorial wink. "Think it could just be another one of his plans to control the city?"

The counterfeit warden looked back at the man coolly. _You're an idiot, Tom_. "As I recall, he was already in control of the city. Assuming the man's a genius, do you think he'd get himself beaten to a pulp for the sake of redundancy? Now. If you'll excuse me. Megamind is only one of many men I'm in charge of. It's not as though my entire life revolves around him." He quickly passed through the door, spotting a familiar face near the front desk watching the exchange with interest.

As she drew nearer to him, looking back over her shoulder to see if the pair outside was still watching, she heard Bernard say, "Quite impressive. If I didn't know better, you would have fooled me too."

_He still sounds like himself_, she realized. She gave him a half smile before turning to Carlos who was looking at the pair curiously. "Hi, Carlos. It's me, Roxanne. I don't have my key. Can you give me the spare?"

"Uh…" The older gentleman looked skeptically from one to the other. He recognized Bernard, but why was this older gentleman saying something so ridiculous?

With a last glance back at the entrance, she turned the watch's dial and watched the man's reaction. _Poor guy. I've put him through a lot lately_.

"Ms… Ms Ritchie!" He gaped at her. "Are you ok? I saw the-"

"I am ok, Carlos, but I need to avoid that crowd out there, so can I please have my spare? Quickly? I'm sorry, but I don't have time to chit-chat about it right now."

"Sure! Sure…" He found the key and handed it to her, looking on incredulously as the pair entered the elevator. A flash lit the crack between the doors just before they closed.

Megamind sighed and leaned against the wall as they rode up. Roxanne looked at him, concerned. "You should have waited in the car."

"I'm fine."

They stood silent for a few moments before Roxanne finally asked, "Why… um, why does Bernard sound like you? Or is it the other way around? I mean, I sounded like the warden just now."

He suspected it wouldn't sit well with her to claim fatigue as an excuse to avoid talking about the person he'd just appeared as yet again, even though he wasn't quite as all right as he had just claimed. _Ok. If she wants to talk about this now, we will._ "The generator records the person's voice and appearance separately. When I… 'collected' Bernard, I didn't have time to record his voice as well."

"Oh."

As reluctant as he felt to even approach the mess that was the whole Bernard affair, her suddenly dropping the subject perversely made him want to blurt out how everything had happened. He was searching for a way to begin when the elevator doors opened.

* * *

><p>"What a mess." After looking briefly, he called for the brainbots while Roxanne walked thoughtfully around the apartment. Hal had left few things untouched.<p>

"It looks like a tornado went through here."

The couch lay on its back, one arm spewed stuffing from a ragged tear. Pillows looked as though they'd exploded. Lamps had been overturned and overhead lighting shattered. Papers that she realized were mostly from the idea cloud were strewn everywhere, their empty strings still hanging from the ceiling. A long jagged line tore along the length of the longest wall, edges charred from the heat of Titan's laser vision. "It's a wonder he didn't burn the place down."

"Where's your laptop?"

She had to think a minute about where she'd left it. Walking into the mostly untouched kitchen, she found it had escaped destruction and was even still plugged in. Showing it to him, she watched as he hacked in one-handed, prepared a wireless connection to the cyborgs, and set parameters. When they arrived in minutes, they were primed to begin the task of cleaning up.

Roxanne watched in amazement, seeing that the little floating brainbots were doing the job as well as she could have herself. Then she saw Megamind removing the splint over his hand. "What are you doing? You need that."

"Oh, I hate these things. Don't worry. David knew I'd have it off again in no time. And I heal quickly."

As she went to the freezer and pulled out a package of frozen peas, she told him, "You have to at least put something cold on it, or it's going to swell. Don't argue with me!" she added, seeing he was about to protest. "And if you're going to be a belligerent patient, we need to get you back home so you can rest, and Minion can take care of you the right way." He hardly winced as she carefully placed the bag of peas on his hand, her own fingers supporting his from below. Still finding her touch unfamiliar and exciting, he wondered if he might be able to convince her to baby any of his other injuries later. "I'll bet _he_ knows how to make you do what you're supposed to," she chided.

_I'd do what you tell me to._ "You know, the bots won't be finished for a while. And they can sometimes be a nuisance while they work." He paused. "I know what David told you… about helping Minion, but it's not like you have to follow his instructions. _I_ never do." He looked at her cautiously before suggesting, "Come back with me anyway. The least I can do is offer you a quiet place to wait until this is cleaned up."

"The least you can do? You don't owe me anything because of this." She gestured at the room.

"Well..."

A bot flew close past them. "I think I would have trouble resting here with these guys zooming around, but I was fully intending to help Minion anyway. Let me go pack some things, and we'll just go. I'm too tired to start thinking about what I need to do in here and hiding from the mob out there and wondering if you're going to be ok." A smile touched his lips hearing her last comment. "Keep that on your hand," she commanded before walking down the short hallway.

A single brainbot came flying out of her room just as she reached the doorway, causing her to jump aside. "Hey!" She shook her head, knowing it was just following orders. "Watch where you're going, bub." She looked into the room and saw that clothes had been scattered everywhere, but there didn't appear to be much permanent damage. _He must have gotten distracted_. With a shudder, she recalled Hal drooling over her as he talked about how much he liked her underwear. She heaved a sigh looking at the mess. _Is there anything he didn't put his disgusting hands on?_ There were a few items left hanging in the open closet, probably forgotten once he'd found the cape, and she felt as though she could put them on her body with the least likelihood of being overwhelmed by waves of revulsion.

An overnight bag seemed to be in order. She could come back for more things later if necessary. _Packing to go stay overnight in the Evil Lair. Formerly evil now, I guess. This is starting to seem a little surreal._ It was tempting to start picking up her clothing, but the Percocet she'd popped while Megamind used the computer was making her a bit drowsy, heightening the feeling of altered reality. _I need to just get my stuff and go. _Pulling a blouse from a hanger, she sniffed her shoulder, realizing the tank and jeans she had on were still damp and smelled unpleasantly of the water from the fountain and nervous sweat. Pulling off her top, she had just opened a drawer to see if there might be any clean t-shirts left in it when she heard a voice behind her.

"Roxanne, what's-"

Spinning around with a yelp, holding the shirt up to cover herself, she saw him standing in the doorway. "Megamind… " She rolled her eyes, wondering when she would stop feeling so jumpy. "You know, people usually knock…" _Although he's probably never had to before._ He was gaping at her. "And it's not really polite to stare either when-"

"… your back."

She could see from the distress in his eyes and the furrows between his black brows that he wasn't registering her state of undress. "What? What is it?" she asked, trying to look over her shoulder, still clasping the shirt to herself. Moving over to the full-length mirror, she could just make out the bruising that ran down her spine, interrupted by the strap of her bra. Another ugly mark crossed it at an angle, which she guessed was where Hal had caught her in free fall across his arm. In the mirror, she saw Megamind walk up behind her, entirely focused on the evidence of his creation's mistreatment. Unthinkingly he reached out, fingers trembling, but he pulled his hand away again, a pained look on his face. Slowly backing up, he felt the bed bump the back of his legs and sat down heavily, peas still in hand.

"Did David look at that?"

"No, but he knew about it. It's fine. I'm ok." Obviously it upset him. There was no point telling him how much it hurt.

He stared at her, mouth opening and closing silently, before quietly apologizing in a husky voice. "I'm sorry, Roxanne."

In the low light from the curtained windows, he suddenly looked as desolate as the little boy in the school photo. Confronted by the evidence that his bad decisions had actually caused her physical harm and afraid of being pushed away again, he sat looking up at her miserably. She walked over to stand in front of him, reaching out to rest a hand on his cheek. She saw him swallow a lump in his throat and caressed his cheek before bending to give him a kiss on the forehead. His eyes closed, and he heaved a shuddering sigh as she drew him closer to her until he put his arms carefully around her hips, laying his cheek against the shirt she still held across her chest. "I can't stand thinking I've hurt you."

"You didn't hurt me. Hal did."

"But I gave him the power to do it," his voice was muffled by the side of his mouth being pressed against her. _And that's not even taking into account how I hurt you by being Bernard. The way I treated her in the lair. How can I expect her to forgive me for everything?_

She gently ran a hand over his bare head, finding the skin smooth and soft while her emotions were in turmoil. Seeing him as Bernard again had brought back all the confusion and hurt, her injured pride and sense of justice, as well a desire to simply understand how and why it had all happened. But she didn't have the strength to confront that right now. And seeing him genuinely sorry, she wanted to try to forgive and forget. Letting her lips brush along his bright blue skin reminded her that she was with the man who used to kidnap and tie her up… and yet she couldn't deny the attraction she had to him too._ But I trust him now, right? He saved my life today_. She thought briefly about Bernard… about being so upset the night she had found out about the deception that had seemed like such a betrayal and shattered her trust…. _I don't want to think about that now. Not today._ She bowed her head slightly to kiss the top of his. Then she pushed him back until he was looking at her again. "Megamind, you saved me." Bending further, her hand still pressed to the shirt across her chest, she kissed his lips very softly.

He'd been wondering if maybe it hadn't been a good idea to come up to the apartment with her after all, seeing her reaction to Bernard again and considering how he felt. Maybe it was his pride that wanted to hide from her how much pain he was in. Every muscle ached, his head felt dull and heavy. Seeing Roxanne's bruises made his hurt more for some reason. Even becoming a hero seemed unimportant at the moment. Crowds and honors could wait. He wanted to go home, and he wanted to take her with him, to sleep and recover without worrying if she was ok. But when she held him close, offering him reassurances he didn't deserve… all of those things faded away. Even the pain in his hand died down to a dull roar. The hope that she might forgive him – might possibly love him – erased everything else. And feeling her kiss, nothing else mattered at all but having more.

As she pulled away, he put his hands at her waist to keep her close and finally realized what she was wearing… or wasn't wearing. A range of reactions played across his face, from surprise to embarrassment and self-consciousness. He tried not to let his eyes wander. Watching the impressive display made her slowly smile. The blush on his ears deepened. "I'd better go out and let you…"

With a hand on his shoulder to stop him from getting up, she smiled, wanting to let him know it was ok. "We've been here before."

He glanced at the shirt she held in front of her and back at her eyes, blushing deeper. "Not quite like this though."

_Oh my gosh, he's so cute_. A smirk spread across her lips. Bending her head and thinking about the night she'd turned him away, she kissed him again.

His brows lifted in amazement seeing her move in, and he savored the feeling of her lips for a moment before pressing back. He didn't want to hurt her poor abused back, but it was hard to stop from wrapping his arms around her with just her bare skin under his hands and her mouth so welcoming. She turned her head to the other side to try out kissing him from another angle, and when she stopped to check his reaction, he gazed back in wonder.

Not worrying about the shirt she was holding, she slid both her arms around his shoulders instead. "Isn't this what you wanted that night?"

He saw the garment fall away, but Roxanne didn't reach for it or try to cover herself. Swallowing again, he looked in her eyes and whispered, "Yes."

Touching her nose to his, she admitted, "It's what I wanted too."

He'd mentally undressed her a thousand times, and usually felt a little guilty about it, but those fantasies couldn't compare to actually having her here before him in real life. "Roxanne…" he whispered, lifting his eyes to her face again.

She brushed her open mouth along his, tempting him to kiss her again, finding his lips amazingly firm and gentle at the same time. Those blue lips... black goatee... Her chest rose and fell, barely brushing against him as they deepened their kisses, the silence in the room magnifying the sounds of their mouths meeting and exploring. The taste of his breath and his skin made her press herself closer to him, wanting to be up against him, and she heard a soft thud as the bag of peas hit the floor, and a cold hand lightly stroked her back, giving her a shiver. "You need that," she breathed.

"…mmm…" He kissed at the edge of her mouth they way he had once before, brushing there with the lightest touch, unwilling to interrupt with words the pleasure he thought he wouldn't be able to experience again. "…hmm mmm…"

She turned her head slightly, following the movement of his lips, eyes closing in ecstasy. "Megamind…your hand… is going to start hurting..."

He stopped and focused his intense green eyes on her blue ones. "Roxanne. _Nothing_ hurts right now."

With a small huff of amusement, she asked, "What did Dr. Morrow give you in that ambulance?"

He stroked her face and rubbed the tip of his nose along her cheek and thought of how relieved he'd been to see she was all right when they released him. How she'd come straight into his arms. "You. He just gave me back you… Nothing else."

His words burned into her heart, making her chest ache. She suddenly kissed him with greater intensity, her hands cradling and pulling his face closer, feeling him respond very readily as she pressed her mouth hard against his. A small voice at the back of her mind fretted. _He hasn't had anything? Hal hurt him so much. Why wouldn't they have given him something for pain? _She resolved not to let their making out session go too far, for his sake. But as his hands slid up her sides, pulling her to his chest, his thumbs tracing along the edge of her bra, her resolve wavered again. She knew she wouldn't deny him, but there was a sense of apprehension in letting herself go too. He began to kiss along her cheek as though nothing else was more important than taking his time and committing every bit of her to memory.

Her fingers stroked along the back of his neck slowly, back and forth, while she submitted to being caressed and explored. _God, I love the way he kisses me. I can't wait to find out how he makes love._ Luckily her experiences of sex had generally been good, but she often was left feeling like it was all a big rush to the finish. At some point she had decided all those romantic movies were lies. In real life, men didn't act like that, although she wished they did. No one had made her feel treasured before. And it was hard to believe that now she'd found that experience she'd thought was a myth with a blue alien who had insisted he was evil and kidnapped her for years. It felt exciting and dangerous being with him, to open her eyes and see his blue skin on hers and know she was really with Megamind, evil genius. Her desire kept intensifying, getting harder to hold back, her body responding definitively, but a warning sounded in her head. "_I'd suggest you're both in shock and not fully cognizant of what you're doing right now." He was right. We're both vulnerable. This whole thing has us stripped back to raw emotions._That's why he kept warning us.__ Turning to meet his mouth, she felt his tongue find hers. _Oh, I don't want to make a stupid mistake and mess this up but…_ He stood up as his long arms snaked around her smoothly and tightened.

"Ah!"

His eyes opened and then widened as he realized her reaction was to pain instead of to his nearness. "Oh! Oh, I'm sorry!"

Sensing him drawing away, she tried to stop him, holding on to his arms to keep him from releasing her entirely. "No, it's… it's ok. Just… Gentle," she suggested, as she kissed him again, and now that they were standing she became aware of having his entire body against hers. _Oh, what does Dr. David know?_ Her fingers traveled down one arm, finding his hand and pulling it around to the front of her, inviting his touch. His sharply drawn breath made her drop his hand again as though it was red hot. "Sorry! Sorry. I forgot!" His face was screwed up in anguish, and one eye opened and looked back at her regretfully. She chuckled. "Wow, we are quite a pair, huh?" He smiled ruefully in agreement. "This isn't going to work right now, is it?"

"I want it to…"

She was about to reassure him that putting things on hold wasn't the same as saying it would never happen, when a brainbot burbled into the room and bumped into its master's arm. They both looked down at it, noticing it had something black and blue clamped in its jaws, which it dropped on the bed beside them. "Is… is that one of your capes?"

"Oh. Yes, that's what I came in here for. Originally." He turned to pick up a stiff and charred bundle that a brainbot had brought to him after she'd gone to her room. He'd dropped it at the end of her bed upon seeing her back. "What is this?"

She looked at it for several moments, slightly befuddled from the combination of painkillers and passion, before she recognized it. "Oh, it's the cape Hal found!" She explained to him how it had ended up in her room. "And… um, yeah." She looked up at him smiling down at her smugly. "I guess he found it in my closet and blasted it." She reached out to flick one crisp, mangled corner, thinking of how angry Hal had been and all the assumptions he'd made.

"So I left it here. I was so distracted that night, I really wasn't sure what I'd done with it." Pausing, he smiled at her as the expressive black eyebrows crept higher. "And you kept it?" She looked at him, seeing something like hope in his eyes. "I thought you'd decided you didn't want me." He stopped short of adding, _I thought you wanted Bernard_. "You know… if you needed a cape fix, you could have always come to find me in person."

_Woulda, shoulda, coulda_. "Well, I didn't know what I wanted then."

He brought his lips closer to hers again. "What about now?" he asked in a low voice that made her tingle.

She paused. Coming to find him at odd times of the day to make out was an incredibly attractive idea now that he wasn't off limits, but..._ Be honest. Don't leave the door open for more misunderstandings._ "Megamind… you know that I want to be with you. I think that's pretty obvious now... but there's still a lot for us to talk about." She gazed at him solemnly.

Her words were a wake up call. He'd gotten swept up in enjoying her willing affection again, but now he realized she still had uncertainties. She might be willing to forgive, but forgetting was going to take longer. And she needed answers. She had once said they only had a physical relationship so far, and he could see she was right. The chemistry was overwhelming, but he had to admit he wanted more than that too._ Roxanne has more integrity than to just forget everything that's happened between us and jump in bed with me._ He realized he wouldn't want her to be any other way. That integrity was part of what he loved about her. "I know. You're right." He looked at her for a moment, wishing they were past all the unpleasantness already. It made him tired just thinking about dealing with it. "In the meantime…" Picking up the new cape the brainbot had brought in, he unfurled it and placed it around her. "Why don't you keep this one... in case you need a reminder of what you want."

She smiled. "I don't really think I'll need a reminder… just have to look at that giant blue head…" He smirked at her teasing. "But I'll gladly keep it anyway. You don't need it?"

"Oh, Minion keeps me supplied." He shrugged as he arranged the folds the right way. "They're always getting damaged, torn, chewed on by adoring fans… brainbots mostly."

"Why did that brainbot bring you another one anyway?"

"They're programmed to find any of my personal effects and return them to me," he explained. "They replace certain items immediately if I damage them, particularly wardrobe."

"Wow, that would be handy at work. Oops, spill some coffee on my blouse and have a clean one dropped in my lap! Nice…"

"I can program one to do that for you," he offered.

She ran a finger slowly along the edge of his bottom lip and smiled. "You are sweet…" After giving him a small kiss, she grinned and glanced down at the unusual garment. "So… how do I look?"

_Do I look bad?_ The standard joke he shared with Minion came to mind as he watched the way his cape fell over her bare shoulders, the black seeming even darker and the blue more electric against her fair skin. _What can I say? You look insanely, eeevilly delicious wearing my cape? And by the way, Roxanne, I've been having these fantasies of you wearing it and not much else in my bedroom. Care to play along?_ He pulled the sides forward to cover her bra. _No point torturing myself with temptation yet. It's making my head spin._ "You look heavenly..." With a sigh, he sank down on the bed again, his drawn features telling her how weary he really was.

_Dang it, we shouldn't have been messing around. What am I thinking? He needs to be taken care of. _She hadn't realized she was chilled before, the passion they'd been building up giving her a warm buzz, but now the cape had begun to warm her and she could feel herself becoming more drowsy and fuzzy-headed too. "We need to get you home. Hang in there." She picked the peas off the floor and put them back in his hand. Grabbing a few items of clothing and stuffing them in a bag, she glanced at him apprehensively. He'd gone uncharacteristically quiet, and she didn't like it. "Ok, I'm ready. Let's go."

With an arm around his waist, she guided him past the busy brainbots, still tidying, and to the front door. Reaching for the doorknob, she was abruptly reminded by her bare arm that she hadn't put the t-shirt on and was only covered by the cape over her bra. She thought of going back, but Megamind was drooping and even leaned on her slightly. The cape provided good coverage at least. _I'll just wrap it around me and get the watch turned on in the elevator. He can't wait any longer._ Pulling the door open, she looked directly into the eyes of Tom Raines.

"Well, well… Hi there, Roxie."


	25. Recovery

A camera flashed, capturing her look of horror just as she heard Carlos's voice pipe up from behind the two men who were leering at her. "Ms Ritchie! I tried to stop them but-"

She glared at the tabloid reporter. "Pushed your way in, huh? That's just like you. So classy, Tom."

"Hey, I'm just making a living. You know that. Nothing personal, Roxanne. Uh, unlike what we see before us…" He looked her up and down and chuckled as the camera flashed again. Megamind lunged for it, nearly falling to the floor as he left her grasp. "Yikes! Is he drunk? What's up? You two having a little private, post-battle party? Emphasis on 'private'? You've got the outfit for it…"

Holding the cape closed in front of herself and thankful it was generously cut, she reached out to her blue hero again, alarmed at how dazed he seemed to be. "Stop it. Leave him alone," she added as the cameraman took another photo of the ex-villain not at his best. Behind them Carlos kept up a stream of useless protests.

"Give me the de-gun," Megamind muttered to her, swaying a little as he glared at the men from under lowered brows. The holster was on the same side as his injured hand and where she stood helping to steady him.

"No," she protested. "Heroes don't go around dehydrating people. Even nasty little pricks," she added, with a piercing look at the smirking reporter looking on in amusement. Using the pistol would only give him more fuel to work with anyway.

"Heroes? So you buy the whole idea that he's turned over a new leaf? Become a new man, haven't ya, Evil Overlord?" He crossed his arms and smiled condescendingly, obviously unimpressed with the scenes he'd witnessed throughout the day. Deep down, Tom Raines believed he could spot a well-played set up when he saw one. He was beginning to wonder what role Roxanne might have played as well in this new plan of Megamind's and just how long she'd been working with him. It made for some very juicy speculation, especially considering the scene he was witnessing at the moment.

"We are not talking to you, and I am _not_ making a statement. Come on," she coaxed Megamind, her arm around his waist. As Roxanne pushed her way past the scandalmongers, she heard Tom tell his cameraman, "Get that, Nate. That's a picture worth a thousand words. Or a thousand bucks by the time we sell it all over!" Her jaw clenched as the camera flashed again. They stood at the elevator, agonizingly waiting for the doors to open, listening to Tom attempting to goad them into saying anything at all, hoping for a few choice tidbits he could work with as "quotes" for his story. Roxanne knew better than to respond, but she wasn't sure if the fact that Megamind wasn't answering either was due to him having decided silence was the best way to deal with the annoying duo, or if he was quiet because of being in too much pain. He was not acting right at all, and she cursed the elevator for being so slow and herself for delaying their departure while Tom continued his snide remarks.

"Does that get up remind you of Wonder Woman at all?" he mentioned to his cameraman, who muttered something back about Cat Woman. They both ignored Carlos who was still ineffectually haranguing the two.

Taking her eyes off the slowly lighting numbers, Roxanne looked at Megamind next to her, who stood tensely, eyes on the doors with a dark expression. He looked back at her for a moment. Neither spoke. The ding heralding the arrival of their escape was the most welcome sound in the world until the doors parted.

Minion's considerable level of intelligence was often overshadowed by that of his boss, but he was quick in his own right and especially good at assessing a situation at a glance. As the camera flashed again, Tom Raines made the mistake of laughing at Minion's startled expression, assuming Megamind's pet fish would be as much of a pushover as the doorman had been. With a toothy scowl, one giant mechanical hand reached out and grabbed the camera poised to capture yet another shot. The plastic made a loud cracking sound as the hand closed around it and dropped it, the glowering brown eyes never leaving the cameraman's shocked face. Roxanne led Megamind into the elevator and motioned Carlos to come in as well while Minion held the doors.

"Hey!" protested Tom. "That's private property! You can't –"

Finally grabbing the de-gun from it's holster, Roxanne gritted her teeth and fired at the annoying man.

"You said heroes don't use guns on people," Nate the cameraman complained, staring at the blue cube on the floor.

"Yeah, well… I never said _I_ was a hero." Roxanne smiled thinly at him and added, "Give him a good watering, and he'll be back to normal in no time. And maybe we won't press trespassing charges. This time."

The elevator doors closed as the stunned man was gingerly picking up his colleague, asking, "Where am I supposed to get some water?"

"Well, if you just spit on him enough. Oh! Or you could try-" The doors closed, cutting off her suggestion. "I'm sure he'll figure it out."

Minion looked at his friends, finding Ms Ritchie's appearance startling and Megamind's condition alarming. "What happened? It took so long for you to come back, I didn't know if something had gone wrong." He motioned at the quiet form still leaning on Roxanne.

Roxanne ignored his question, knowing it was too complicated and personal to explain until they were alone in the car. "Carlos! Why did you let them up?"

The short doorman looked sheepish. "Well, I did stop them at first. But they were real pushy. I mean, I was going to pull my weapon even, but they said they were colleagues of yours, and then they said they'd press charges if I threatened them." The man hated to admit he'd been cowed by threat of a lawsuit. "So then I was going to buzz you and see if it was ok, but they got right in the elevator! Didn't even wait!"

She sighed and shifted her weight under Megamind's shoulder, holding the cape closed. Tom Raines was as morally bent and twisted as his tabloid stories. "That jerk isn't my colleague." She sighed, knowing stronger men than her mild doorman had been cowed by Tom before. "It's ok, Carlos. Don't ever let them bully you like that again though. Next time, pull your gun anyway and aim for their kneecaps."

A weak chuckle rumbled at her shoulder. Megamind was enjoying seeing her temper flare. "My dear Ms Ritchie, I never knew you had such… violent tendencies." He smirked at her and tightened his hold on her waist. "You're becoming rather familiar with my weapon too. What will people think?"

The fact that he could still joke was heartening, but she couldn't answer what she was thinking in front of the other two present. Feeling sick at heart about his condition, she only smiled back at him, their faces close together.

Once in the lobby, they made a dash for the car and sped away, leaving Carlos staring after them, thinking he had never known a stranger day. Not long after that, the cameraman exited the elevator carrying his cubed colleague.

Nate looked on as Tom reappeared right on the sidewalk before him, so dumbfounded that he continued pouring the stream of warm water from the bottle he'd found in the back of the car even after Tom was fully rehydrated, until finally the reporter knocked the bottle out of his hand. "Enough already!" He ran a hand over his head to brush the extra moisture from his dripping hair. "Did you get the camera?"

"Yeah, but you saw it!"

Grabbing the busted photographic equipment with a scowl, he examined the mess closely until he found what he was looking for. "Got 'em…" he muttered, holding up a small rectangle with tiny metallic strips on one end. "This is all that matters anyway." _She's going to pay for that little stunt_.

* * *

><p>"Ok, Sir. Into bed."<p>

"…mmm fne…"

"No, you're not fine…"

As Minion argued with his not very competent friend and carefully coaxed him onto his bed, Roxanne set down her bag as she looked around herself, finding it strange not only that she was in her former captor's bedroom, but that it seemed very familiar somehow. The authors of the books they had studied together suggested he slept every which way from no bed, to regenerating in controlled climate chambers, to sleeping hanging upside down like a bat so the blood would rush to his head and feed his enormous brain. But obviously the furnishings he used were very normal, with a bed piled in comfy pillows and a closet, lamps and a writing desk, and all the usual things one finds – there were no spikes or leather or blatant display of evil or badness, and yet the décor was in his signature colors and seemed to fit the image she had guessed was at the heart of him. In fact, as she gazed around at the surprisingly elegant room, the first thing she thought of was his delicately detailed gun, followed by her Frequent Kidnapping Card, the items that had first made her wonder what he was like outside the villainous role he played. Those same details of silver filigree were seen subtly throughout the room. Once again she wished she knew what had become of that small piece of plastic he'd made for her. She looked over to see Minion pulling a boot off the prostrate blue figure who appeared unconscious until he grimaced. She moved closer and noticed his hand.

"Minion, that hand is swelling." The thawed peas had been discarded. "Why don't you get something for that, and I'll get his other boot off."

"Ms Ritchie, don't you think you should be resting too? Those were Dr. Morrow's orders."

"I will soon enough. Let's get him settled first. He's in a lot worse shape than I am, and I'm worried about why he's gone downhill so suddenly."

Minion frowned. "Oh, I'm not surprised. He never follows orders, and he always pays for it. All right then. I'll go get the ice." He actually had not seen his boss in such bad shape before, and he was worried which made him feel a little annoyed with her, thinking she was to blame for the delay at the apartment. As he left Roxanne unbuckling the boot, he wondered where it might be prudent to suggest she rest. Dr Morrow had implied she would stay in Megamind's own bed, but he certainly wasn't going to suggest that to her himself, and they didn't have a guestroom. _Heck, we've never had a guest!_

Having removed his footwear, she wondered if Minion would undress him further. _I'll leave that to him. I don't have any idea how he even gets these things off._ There were no obvious zips, buttons, snaps or anything on all his distinctive clothing. _But I can at least put my own clothes on. _Removing his cape, she grabbed the shirt from her bag and pulled it over her head. When she turned around she noticed he had opened his eyes slightly and was watching her as she pulled it down the rest of the way.

"Darn…" he croaked.

She stifled a laugh. "You have _some_ drive, spaceman," she teased, not sure how he could even think about romantic encounters in his condition.

With a dry swallow, he watched as she put her hands on either side of him on the bed, hovering over him with a kind smile before placing a kiss on his head. His good hand reached up to stroke along her side, thinking if he felt better he'd have her on the bed beside him in two seconds. _Yet another reason to hate Hal_. "Don't want to let my prize get away."

"I'm not going anywhere." She sat down on the bed beside him to make her point and pressed her lips to his cheek and then his forehead again. He closed his eyes, floating away, and heard her say something.

"Megamind?" She put a hand to his head with a frown.

"…mmm…"

His skin felt too warm, but she didn't know if she was feeling the heat from her own hand, so she put her lips to his head again, trying to assess his temperature the old fashioned way.

"Mmm…" One hand reached up toward her before falling back onto the bed, and she pressed her lips to him in a kiss just as Minion returned with ice and rolling what appeared to be a typical hospital IV stand.

"He feels really hot."

"Probably dehydrated. That's what this is for." He indicated the IV. "Dr. Morrow taught me how to do this a long time ago. In prison I first learned how to change the bags, but later, when he realized Sir was going to keep getting in trouble, he taught me the rest too." He gave her the ice and began to prepare a catheter. "He's used to this, Ms Ritchie. He's had a rough life, and there've been plenty of times he's needed to recoup in bed with an IV."

She sighed. All the years she'd known him and never really bothered to wonder or be concerned. "I've never really thought about it before, Minion. I mean, about what happens to him between his public appearances or after a fight. About his private life. Not until recently." She looked around the room again. "But I think… I'm going to be around a lot more from here on out. So maybe you'd better teach me how to do this too."

The fish barely paused in his work before answering. "Ok. I will. But just watch this time. We may have to redo it later anyway… a lot of times he pulls them out when he's unconscious." He barely glanced at Megamind who frowned with incoherent grumbling. "Ms Ritchie, I'm not sure… um… we don't have a guest room."

"I'll stay in here." She smiled at him, slightly self-conscious. "Just call it following doctor's orders."

Minion paused again as he was arranging the stand and moving it out of the way. "Okay…"

Roxanne watched him. "So… I take it you didn't know about… us."

The brown eyes looking at her seemed almost apprehensive. "Well, to be honest… I don't know very much about... what's been going on." He had a feeling he shouldn't mention Bernard. Then he gestured at the silent figure on the bed. "I mean, obviously Sir has always enjoyed your company. That was at least half of why he kidnapped you so much. And I knew he was, um, meeting with you… But I'm guessing lately it's become more than that?" Seeing her nod, he added, "He usually tells me everything. Not this time."

She realized that could have led to some bad feelings on the loyal sidekick's part, and she sighed thinking about how much explaining there was to do. So many questions to ask and answer. "I'm sorry, Minion. I'm just so tired. Can I take a rain check on the explanations?"

"Oh! Of course, Ms Ritchie." His curiosity had made him nearly forget her own state of post-battle fatigue. "What can I do for you?"

"Nothing. Yet. Really, it's ok." _Even a shower can wait_. She moved around to the other side of the king-sized bed, and as though sensing her getting further away, her hero suddenly called out incoherently. "I'm not leaving," she shushed him before responding to the helpful fish. "I just want to sleep right now, and staying here means I won't be worrying about him," she explained as she kicked off her shoes and crawled onto the bed, lying down near her hero with a yawn big enough to split her face. Then she pulled the cape lying at the end of the bed over herself and took his good hand in hers. "Let's worry about the rest later."

"Good idea. I want to let him recover a bit before anything else. I can take care of some other things while he sleeps and…"

She was out before he finished his sentence.

* * *

><p>Looking in later, Minion was struck by the strangeness of the vignette before him. Megamind lay flat on his back, IV trailing from one arm, now dressed in his pajamas and covered in a blanket, dark purple bruising more obvious on the parts of his body that were visible but already beginning to clear. His rapid healing ability was a blessing. And there was Ms Ritchie lying on her side snuggled up next to him covered by his black cape, her chin on his shoulder and still holding his hand loosely in her sleep. He watched them for a moment, then walked away again thoughtfully. The strangest thing was that it seemed so… right.<p>

* * *

><p>He woke to the sound of laughing. Eyes dry and blurry, head feeling full of cotton, he sat up and realized he'd been put into his pajamas and automatically wondered if Roxanne had been present for that. His torso ached just from the effort of sitting, and after a moment he recalled being flung against a car and lifted his shirt. The bruises there were probably enough to distract her or anyone from noticing anything else about him. Standing up, he swayed a moment before realizing he was still attached to the IV and thoughtlessly began to pull it out. Then he wrapped the blanket he'd been covered in around himself and unsteadily followed the sound of voices down the hall.<p>

Roxanne lounged in his black executive chair, laughing with Minion, her hands curving around a mug of something steaming. A delectable smell hung in the air, and Minion was gesturing as he related a story enthusiastically while Roxanne watched him with a smile. To his surprise, one glowing brainbot was quietly acting as her footstool, it's eyestalk nearly closed, approximating the satisfied expression of a drowsy cat. He huffed. The thing might as well have been purring. When he did that they usually tried to bite his boots.

"What gives here?" They both noticed him at the same time.

"Sir! You're up!" The fishy grin shone out, and then faded. "Where is your IV? Sir…"

Roxanne thought she'd never seen him looking more tired and faded. "You're awake. It's about time," she teased, getting up and turning the chair toward him. "Come and sit down." As he trudged forward, she moved to steady him and looked down at his hand. The swelling was gone. "How's that hand?"

He looked at it and flexed it incautiously, wincing as he did. "Well, it's better…" Suddenly he noticed the scent that was in the air was stronger around her. "You smell like chocolate," he murmured, as she helped him sit down.

"Minion made me some hot chocolate before I headed back to your room for a nap. It's really good. You feel like any?"

He frowned at his smiling sidekick. "You never make _me_ hot chocolate before bed…" Then he paused. "What time is it?"

"You've been asleep almost 24 hours," Minion informed him, handing him a mug. Somehow he'd known he would wake soon. "It's 5 o'clock Monday."

"No wonder." Sleeping for long periods made him have odd dreams. He much preferred to have power naps, waking to work for a short time before returning to bed again. "I had the weirdest dream…" he told them, glassy-eyed as though he was still seeing it. "At first I was looking into my own eyes. They were so close, it was all I could see of myself… and I had very hairy eyebrows, for some reason..."

Roxanne snickered, making him look up at her sharply. "What? If you hadn't noticed, I prefer to be well-trimmed," he informed her with as much dignity as his tired frame could muster.

She giggled again and stroked a finger along his cheek. "Oh, I noticed, but…well… you're sporting a pretty good five o'clock shadow right now, mister."

He deflated a bit, realizing she was probably right if he'd been asleep that long. "Forget you ever saw that." She smiled at him. She was the last person he wanted to see him looking scruffy and off his game, but it was a little too late for that now. "Anyway! Then you and I were having a _yard sale_, Minion. Right here! We invited the public into the evil lair and sold all my inventions."

"Whoa!" the fish answered with a frown. "Why were we doing that?"

"Apparently I thought I didn't need them anymore because they were good for nothing but evil. Which is patently ridiculous, of course. But you know how dreams are." He waved his hand dismissively.

Roxanne was thinking about Bernard and arguing back and forth with him over the morality of being good or evil. It was interesting to her to know that he could conceive of his inventions being used for something other than destruction. _Has he only just finally realized that after yesterday, or has he always believed it? _"You told me you were evil and couldn't be anything else," she gently challenged him.

"Well... wasn't it Augustine who said created things are neither good or evil in themselves, but only the intention with which they are used? I'd agree with that. My _intentions_ weren't good. But no matter what they're used for... my _inventions_ _rock_." It was strange how one could end up saying and doing things in a dream contrary to what one really believed, and that was partly why he disliked dreaming.

"Yes, they do, Sir," Minion supported his assertion, but Roxanne smirked.

"Except that shark that kept trying to eat you."

He gave her a mild warning look that only made her laugh and then continued, telling them about a giant evil robot and an entire set of wearable tools he'd created to imitate Wayne's powers, watching their faces as they listened intently to the whole story, skipping over his lapse of memory regarding a certain button and the difficulty he had in controlling Wayne's powers. "It was as though I thought I had to make myself into some sort of pseudo-Metro Man figure." He frowned and snorted. "And I was dressed in _white_!"

Minion and Roxanne looked at him in surprise. "Quite a Freudian dream, Sir, considering your latest acts of heroism."

"Don't psychoanalyze me. You know I hate that."

"Sorry, Sir."

"That giant robot was impressive though. I'd put my personality into it, and then I had to destroy it with the Death Ray because it was trying to kill me. Right over by the old observatory." He sat staring into the distance, struck by the implications of what he'd dreamed. Then raising one hand he waved with his fingertips and added, "And I waved goodbye to the old evil me… ka-boom."

Roxanne thought she'd never heard of a dream with such clear significance before, when Megamind asked, "Do I actually have a giant robot stashed somewhere?"

"Not to my knowledge, Sir."

"Hmmm… Minion," he suddenly asked nervously. "Did we ever use something called 'The Forget Me Bomb'?"

The fish looked uncomfortable. "Uh, well…"

Megamind's eyes drifted to the console beside his chair and spotting a newspaper there with a large photo on the front page showing the tower lying in the street and his own photo smaller below it. The headline read something about the new defender of Metro City, and he began reaching for it when Roxanne stood and said, "All right. Back to bed."

"Uh! But I just got up!"

"And you still look beat, and you pulled out your IV which I may have to put back in now. And-"

"You put my IV in?"

She smiled proudly and motioned with a thumb at his finny friend, who smiled. Obviously the two were getting along very well. "I did. Minion showed me how, and I did the last one myself." Then she scolded him, "You sleep very restlessly."

_Only when you're not in there_, Minion thought. He'd observed his ward with Roxanne beside him and without, once she'd awakened and come out of his room. The difference in his sleep habits between the two situations was striking.

"You're supposed to stay in bed a few days, remember? Doctor's orders. And it's my job to keep you there. You're not going to make this difficult for me, are you?"

"Not if you play your cards right, Ms Ritchie," he answered with the best roguish grin he could muster, and then he stood and looked at Minion, gesturing toward the paper. "What about all the mess out there?"

"Got the team on it. Don't worry."

"Are you keeping an eye on them? You know how the 300 series can be."

"Not to worry, Sir. I'm on top of it." He motioned toward the monitors, which showed the brainbots repairing buildings and clearing away rubble around town from Hal's destruction. "The city officials are very grateful for the free cleanup."

"Oh yes. And I suppose I have to meet with them sooner or later." He slumped, not looking forward to it, not sure what to expect. A reprimand? Thanks? Demands of further restitution? A trip back to prison?

"Well, actually, I took that on. Acting as your spokesperson, I set up a meeting for you with them on Thursday. I hoped that would give you enough time to recover, and Minion assured me much of the cleanup would be done by then too, so that will be in your favor." She knew he wouldn't be fully himself again by then, but it wouldn't hurt for the mayor to see just how much he'd risked in saving the city. "I hope that was all right."

"Of course." He was touched she went to the trouble for him. "I trust your judgment. I may have to ask you to fill that role again, depending on just how things go. Maybe permanently?" He felt weary again standing there and thinking of what lay ahead, which Roxanne noticed straightaway.

"Change is always difficult, even good change. Come on. I need a nap myself anyway." Taking his hand, she coaxed him along, feeling him follow along easily. Glancing over her shoulder at Minion with a meaningful look, she saw him nod silently back to her before crumpling up the newspaper Megamind had been about to read.

_Maybe David's advice wasn't so odious this time. If it means Roxanne is willing to lead me back to bed… I wouldn't mind staying put for a few days. And she's right. Even good changes aren't easy. _He glanced at her walking along beside him._ At least she's willing to stay. It was never going to be a matter of her rushing into my arms and never another thought of what's happened between us for the past 5 years. Especially what happened on Saturday. Dear god, it was only Saturday that that whole Bernard plan fell apart? _"How are you feeling?" he asked her and was also struck by the thought that it was now Monday and the beginning of the workweek. "And what about your job?"

"Are you trying to get rid of me?"

"NO! No, I just… wondered how long you could stay actually."

She smiled. "I've taken some personal days. I think I need it after all, and I did promise my boss I'd get the first interview with the villain-turned-hero for him." She didn't mention that she had also been pressed to write a story on the days of their secluded recovery together. It would make great copy, but she would have to approach it carefully, especially considering what Minion had showed her in the newspaper Megamind had been about to read. And then the tabloid too, which of course would have started it all. But she wasn't about to burden her rescuer with such things for now. He'd never rest with his blood boiling over. _Bad enough me knowing about it. Damn you, Tom_. She was a little impatient to get back to work and begin counteracting the rumors she'd seen in print with the facts, but she still had work to do here. She felt a responsibility toward this man who'd saved her life and whom she felt now deserved a chance to start a better life. And she could admit she wanted to know where their relationship could lead. She wasn't sure when they would get around to discussing some of the stickier aspects of what had already transpired, but at the very least she realized waking up next to him and watching him sleep peacefully had made her smile with contentment as much as thinking about the changes in his life that were coming up did. "As far as how I feel, I'm mostly just tired."

"Your back is recovering?"

She stretched a bit to test it, feeling the soreness. "Pretty well. I decided I had to stop taking the Percocet though. Whoo! Made me way too loopy!"

"What a shame… your loopiness was rather enjoyable back at your apartment," he dared to venture.

He caught her coy glance. "You wouldn't try to use that to your advantage, would you?"

"Eh heh! No, of course not," he assured her quickly. Then with a sideways glance he added, "Although… the evil me might be tempted to think about it. A little bit." He cleared his throat. "Or a lot."

She laughed lightly and squeezed his hand. "You don't need any help."

"Really?" His face brightened as they entered the room.

She smiled as she took the blanket from his shoulders and watched him ease down on the end of the bed. "I would have thought that was pretty clear already."

"Well," he answered with a shrug and a glance aside, "you've been hesitating a little. And I thought that maybe the loopiness might help you at least get past the visuals. You know… forget about the big head and the blue skin and-"

"Megamind!" She frowned at him. _Where is this coming from? I've never heard him be that self-depreciating before_. "I don't have any reservations about the way you look. Why would you say that? Where's that self-confident, 'incredibly handsome criminal genius' I used to know?"

_Doesn't she realize how much of it was an act? I must have done a better job than I thought. _He looked at her silently. "I know how people really see me. I've always known. I just find it amazing that you… you're able to see past all that." Hadn't she been attracted to Bernard more and been glad to be with someone normal?

All at once she felt sad realizing now that his peacocking was mostly an act to disguise how he really felt about himself and the way others saw him. "I don't see _past_ it. I like you the way you are." Picking up his hand, she smoothed her fingers over his long blue ones, thinking that she really did like what color he was. And everything else about him too. "I do think you're incredibly handsome, Megamind," she assured him, looking into his bright green eyes.

He stared at her a moment. "I just think you're incredible, Roxanne." Emboldened, he gently pulled her down toward him by the hand and kissed her. As she straightened again, she could see the adoration in his eyes as plain as day.

_When have I seen that look on his face before? No wait, it was Bernard. When we toasted... to being normal. Oh no. What must he have thought when I said that? _"That's not why you were coming to see me at night, was it? You thought I wouldn't want to see you?" she asked, her brow wrinkled in concern as she searched his face, thinking he might have only found the confidence to come see her under cover of darkness, waiting for her to turn the lights out, because he thought she didn't like the way he looked.

"Well... not really." _Or was it?_ "Mostly, I just… couldn't stay away. And Minion didn't know what I was up to. And I didn't want to explain and hear him gripe at me so…." She sat down beside him to listen, and as he held her hand and was struck again by how beautiful he found her, he got distracted from what he was explaining. "I just wanted to be with you so much."

They looked at each other silently, and his heart jumped seeing her stand and start to move away. But she had only gone to sit on the bed, sinking into the pillows and holding out her arms to him. "And now here we are... Come on."

He stared at her a moment longer, almost unable to believe in the gesture of affection on offer, before crawling to her and lying down in her arms, closing his eyes as he put his head on her chest. "Oh, Roxanne... you are pure bliss…" he breathed and gave a little groaning sigh of happiness.

As she slid her hands around him to hold him, feeling his arms slide around her and hug back, she rested her cheek on his forehead, giving him a kiss. Being wrapped up together felt so natural, they lay silently enjoying the novel but comforting feeling without any awkwardness.

Megamind began thinking of the lyrics to an Aerosmith song. _I could stay awake, just to hear you breathing... watch you smile while you are sleeping, while you're far away and dreaming... I could spend my life in this sweet surrender... Too true, Steven Tyler. _Having just woken up, he wasn't very sleepy, and every small movement Roxanne made resonated through him, especially as the fingers of one of her hands began to roam over him casually. _Does she have any idea what she does to me?_

Sleepiness came in sudden waves despite being somewhat aroused by having him so near, the warmth of his body against hers, their legs tangled up under the blanket he'd pulled over them. David had warned her against any "fun" activity though, and she hadn't realized how tired she still was. Beginning to drift away, a stray thought floated to the surface - how soft the fabric under her hands was and how it contrasted with the wiry muscles she could feel under it, and she murmured, "I like your pajamas. The little hazard symbols are so you."

He groaned and rolled his eyes. _I knew it was time to get new PJs. Too late!_ "Yes, well… consider them fair warning. I may be hazardous to your health." As he heard her faintly chuckle, he muttered, "Although I'm afraid you've found that out already." But she hugged him tighter for a moment, and somehow he knew she wasn't going to blame him for what Hal had done. As he listened to her heart thudding gently under his ear, he thought about all the conversations they'd had in the past couple weeks. He had a feeling she would probably say people ought to take responsibility for their own actions, no matter what kind of corner they'd been backed into or circumstances they found themselves in. And then he knew that in order to win her respect, he would have to take responsibility for bringing up his own bad decisions, the deception of continuing to be Bernard when he could see she was torn between what she thought were two different men. And that was a more frightening prospect to face than any super-powered hero or villain. He swallowed and whispered barely loud enough to be heard, "Roxanne... I love you..."

She didn't move, didn't say anything, and he ventured to look up at her. She was asleep. With a sigh, he nuzzled against her and closed his eyes, determined to hang onto what he had for now.


	26. The Rumor Mill

_ThAnK YoU for your reviews, folks! God love ya, you just make me so happy with all the feedback, and I can't believe you're still here keeping up with this crazy story. (::) •* (::)* ˚* __(::) Cookies and Sparkles for all! lol _

_Thanks, Nora, for keeping me laughing and for your encouragement. :) Nora Salisbury has been updating "The Journey to Us" too - check it out. And be sure to let me hear your thoughts on "The Lake". This fandom is the best..._

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><p>Roxanne woke to an unfamiliar weight over her stomach and a warm body against her back. Unable to remember where she was at first, the blue and silver swirled pattern filling her vision added to her confusion until it dawned on her that she was face to face with a pillow. Patting along a limb at her waist, which tightened, she groggily looked down to see a sprinkling of hazard symbols covering the arm. Her brain finally caught up, and she relaxed again with a relieved smile, placing her hand over his. <em>It's been a long time since I spooned with anybody<em>. A rumble at her ear along with another squeeze alerted her to his state of wakefulness too, and little by little she twisted around until she was facing him, so close to his blue skin she could see the faint purple in places. _The bruises are nearly gone… and I still haven't thanked him_.

She smiled as she studied him in his sleep. The eyebrows, usually so animated, were now as still as the rest of him. _He is always well trimmed… Does he shape those brows?_ A giggle escaped her at the thought, but the wide eyes remained closed. Ruefully she pondered the black lashes fringing them that any woman would envy. His nose was quite thin and long, she decided, but the tip of it was rounded, making it cute rather than cruel-looking. As she was staring at his mouth, thinking of how amusing its expressiveness was and how skillful he was with it in other ways, the heavy-lidded green eyes opened and met hers. "Hi," she whispered.

A slow smile greeted her as he woke to find his favorite person's face so close to his own, and rather than words, he silently closed the gap between them with a kiss from sleep-softened lips, feeling drowsily uninhibited. She closed her eyes at the sensual warmth their lips created together, then lifted her chin and kissed him again as he pulled away, wanting more of that fascinating blue mouth. He paused at the unspoken request before meeting her in a slower kiss which turned into another and then another until their lips wouldn't part anymore.

Roxanne slid her palm slowly up his chest, along his neck, stroking down his cheek toward their mouths. He stopped, his nose to hers, to let her finger trace along his lower lip… watching her eyes follow its slow path and then feeling it slip down his goatee, once… twice. He began to smile, suddenly recognizing her fascination with the little stripe when abruptly she stroked it backward. His teeth snapped near her fingertip, and she gave a huff of amusement before he covered her mouth again with his own, hoping their kisses were inflaming in her the same desire that was instantaneous for him. _How am I supposed to hold back from you, my sweet little reporter… oh, I could give you something to report about… _

Her kisses were gentle… _She's not ready for more than this… _then suddenly deeper, pressing her mouth into his as though they weren't close enough to satisfy her_ …is she?_ The willingness with which her tongue met his as he dared to take their kissing to the next level enthralled him, inflamed him to test the limits. He would have to let her responses be his guide of how far to go and what to do. As her fingers drifted over his ear and down his neck, he pulled her more tightly against his body and rose over her slightly, mouth bearing down on hers, unable to decide between lust and affection and wonder which was driving him most.

When he broke their kiss to look down on her, she held his gaze easily and then touched her lips to his softly… blue eyes locked with green. _I am losing my heart here… but what about the rest?_ She closed her eyes and kissed him harder, catching his lip with her teeth. He responded with a throaty growl as his eyes rolled closed and his hands clutched at her back. _Hmm, he likes that_, she thought as she pulled away with a smile. _Yes… in my room that night, that nearly got us in trouble. _It excited her, finding out what could make him growl. She nuzzled her nose along his face and placed a kiss at his chin, feeling his lips brush along her cheek in return. His goatee began to tickle her, setting up a tingling as his skin and those little hairs drifted over her face, under the edge of her jaw, traveling up her chin, pausing just below her mouth to place a kiss at the flare of her lower lip… then sucking at it. _Oh Megs…_ She tried to catch his lips again, to press her mouth to his, rising up off her pillow as he teasingly kept his mouth just shy of hers. Allowing their lips to barely brush, he kept watching her, knowing it was driving her crazy. When she finally whispered his name in protest, he kissed her hard and fully, pushing her back into the pillows again.

_God… snogging in Megamind's bed… really… good snogging… Are we going too fast here? We're allowed, right? Of course we're allowed… I'm just… rehabilitating him… yeah… rehabilitating the bad boy… ooo, why do I love thinking of him that way? _The sense of taboo about being with him that still lingered in her mind did nothing but tantalize her further. She pushed aside her reservations to enjoy him a little longer. _Just a little longer_. Running her hand over his shoulders and down his back again, her fingers slipped under his shirt and caressed along his bare skin. He pressed against her and the tenseness in his muscles told her he was ready for whatever she might ask.

And she really didn't want to stop. Finding herself pressed between him and the pillows as he kissed her with growing intensity was bad enough, tempting her to stop thinking and just act, but feeling his hand stroke down her back and rest just above her hips as one thigh slid upward between her legs, her own leg rising along his so easily in response… she suddenly felt a wave of uncertainty. They were moving too fast. _I want this… but we've got to slow down… only been two days since Titan, three days since Bernard… it's too soon._ The way his boldness had caught her off guard and revealed her own readiness to take their physical relationship to the next level and beyond had surprised her, but she pulled back and looked in his eyes, slightly breathless, not ready to let herself give in to him completely… but still wondering if they could wait the full week the cynical Dr David has demanded. _It's up to me to keep a level head about this. I don't think he's going to. _He was smiling down at her, mouth and eyebrows expressing his smug satisfaction with how she'd responded even though he knew he was going to have to wait. "Wow… all I said was hi."

He kissed her nose. "Hi."

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><p>Tom Raines stood at the visitor's check in, annoyed and impatient. He knew he was being deliberately put off. It was the second time he'd come to the prison to see Hal Stewart, and the second time he'd been left waiting for over an hour. The first time, he'd left again after no one had come back either to bring Hal in or to give him a reason he needn't bother to stay. This time, he wasn't going to give up. Hal had found out about the previous visit and contacted him through his lawyer. "I'm not leaving!" he yelled to no one in particular, certain that someone must be keeping an eye on him.<p>

Warden Doyle stood looking at the despicable man on a monitor in the guard's station. He scowled and sighed. Hal was demanding his rights as well, had even had his lawyer make poorly veiled threats, and much as he hated to allow the two characters to get together, he could no longer stop it legally. "Bring him down." _I wonder… should I tell Megamind about this?_ _And how the hell am I going to contact him? Roxanne, of course... _Having kept up on the news, he feared for the reaction his ex-inmate might have, not wanting to see the new hero incarcerated again so soon after his public conversion.

Tom was in a foul mood by the time a door opened and a handcuffed Hal was brought into the visiting area to meet him. He was surprised at the man's appearance. Short, pot-bellied, and heavy jowled, the person now sitting down at the table bore little resemblance to the buff-physiqued Titan besides sharing the same flaming red hair. He wondered how Megamind had managed to make him look so much different for their public spectacle.

"So you're Hal?

"I'm Tighten. I'm _still_ Tighten. Never going back to Hal Stewart again." Once he had his cuffs removed, he leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms as though he expected the reporter to be thoroughly impressed by him.

"Okay…" _Definitely deluded_. Tom took out a digital recorder and placed it on the table. "You mind?"

"No!" Hal chuckled. "Not at all. Make sure you get _everything_. Cause I have a lot to say."

With a thin smile, Tom leaned forward and folded his hands on the table.

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><p>"POPcorn."<p>

"So… it's _not_ popp-ed corn?" He frowned as though thoroughly baffled, making her laugh.

"You're saying it wrong on purpose."

Eyes wide, he protested, "No, I'm not."

Minion smiled to himself hearing Roxanne's laugh just before walking in with another bowl full of the fluffy, buttery kernels they'd requested to go along with the movie they were all going to watch in his room.

"Minion?" she appealed to him.

"He's saying it wrong on purpose," he confirmed, earning a smile from her and a scowl from his rapidly recovering friend. "Although… there was a time he couldn't say it right." Roxanne giggled.

"_Min-ion_! Uh! Do you have to give away _all_ my secrets?" Megamind asked in annoyance from the bed. Beside him, Roxanne threw a kernel at his head, making him frown her way, but she merely laughed silently back at him as she ate a handful.

"You were just so sure that dictionary had to be wrong. Who knew a six year old could have a big enough ego to think he knew better than Webster?"

Megamind huffed and turned up his nose. "I still think the correct way to pronounce it is _shool_. 'Sch' clearly derives from a Germanic- hey!" Another kernel had bounced off his nose_. I suppose Minion would be scandalized if I tackled her right in front of him. She's feeling quite playful since our nap this afternoon…_ He aimed a kernel back at her, but she ducked and it stuck in her hair.

"Cut that out, you two. If you get popcorn all over, I'll never get the greasy stains out of that bed cover," Minion scolded.

"Sorry, Minion." Amused at his mothering, Roxanne tried to look abashed.

"Yeah, sorry, Minion," Megamind echoed, trying less hard and looking even less abashed. Then he threw a handful of popcorn at the fish and Roxanne followed suit, snickering as the snack rained down over the sidekick like confetti.

"Ah! No soggy corn! Yech!" His mechanical hands covered the hole on his dome to keep the white puffs out of his water. "Oh, great. Butter slicks. Ew. Even the filter can't get that out." He looked toward the top of the water line, searching for any pieces that might have fallen in, but turning his gaze on the pair laughing at him, he smiled. Having Ms Ritchie assist in his boss's recuperation had been an eye-opener. While he had always found her company engaging, he had previously needed to hold back from associating with her for obvious reasons, and now being able to relax and fully enjoy the new delight of friendship brought him a greater joy than he had expected. It was obvious that Megamind would always receive the bulk of her affection, but he felt fully encompassed in the new relationship they all shared.

"Go out for a pass!" she told him.

He eagerly popped out the top of the dome and opened his jaws wide as his new friend tried to throw pieces of the salty snack into his mouth. Roxanne's aim was fairly good, but Megamind threw and missed on purpose until she was laughing so hard at the expression of long-suffered annoyance on Minion's face as kernel after kernel bounced off his head that she was making nothing but squeaking noises.

"Careful! Sounds like you might have a loose gasket."

She backhanded his shoulder and was about to make a snarky comeback when a brainbot suddenly zoomed into the room and dropped a newspaper onto Megamind's pajamaed lap. "Ah! Good boy. Tuesday's paper… only a little late…" He was about to open it when Roxanne grabbed the other end.

"Hey, what about this movie?"

He looked at her in surprise. "I know. Just let me catch up on what's happening out there. Haven't seen the paper in days. Or you can just start it. I can read and listen at the same time."

"We could play Scrabble again instead." She'd found out earlier while they'd been playing the game that he not only had a strong competitive streak but tended to pout when he wasn't winning. And yet he had clearly enjoyed her methods of distracting him to her advantage.

He smirked at her and began to unfold it. "You probably just want to see if you can beat the pants off me again." _Although there are easier ways to get them off…._

Her face grew more solemn, and she put her hand over his. "Megamind, you don't want to read that."

"What?" He narrowed his eyes at her. "Why…?"

Aware of how he would probably react to what was inside, she scrambled to think of other ways she could distract him, but Minion spoke up. "Ms Ritchie? I think it's time he knew."

She looked his way, clearly unsure if she agreed. _He's only had a couple days to recover, and this is going to make him blow his top_.

Megamind glanced from one to the other. "What's going on…?" Opening the paper, he quickly scanned over the articles. The major headlines were still about the massive battle to save the city and Megamind's unexpected acts of heroism. Titan's motives were questioned, and Hal's past was being scoured. His super powers were examined in detail. Guesses were made about how long the recovering hero would remain in seclusion and when he might emerge. The subsequent clean up and rebuilding that was underway was lauded. The mayor was already expressing his support for the city's 'new defender' as he referred to him several times, which gave Megamind an oddly apprehensive feeling at the thought that he was going to be tethered to the role and at the man's beck and call. _I suppose it's a small price to pay for my crimes_. _Well, do I want to be a hero or not?_ Other officials were more non-committal as though unsure of his instantaneous remediation. "Nothing so terrible here. It's not very surprising to me that at least some of the public wouldn't embrace me as a hero right off the bat." He turned a page. "In fact, I-"

He stopped short, spotting an editorial entitled, "Victim or Accomplice?" and below it Roxanne's photograph. He frowned and quickly read the text. The premise for the article was that the city's popular TV reporter was due a certain amount of leniency in the judgment of her recent behavior. Currently presumed to be in seclusion recovering with the villain-turned-hero, her actions clearly indicated she was suffering from a troubling psychological condition. His jaw set as the writer briefly explained 'Stockholm Syndrome' for the readers and made mention of the many years of kidnappings and stressful experiences Ms Ritchie had suffered from at the hands of the city's blue villain, only to be seen by a crowd of citizens embracing that same person affectionately after he was treated at the scene of Titan's defeat. There was also mention of a certain tabloid article which the writer danced around skillfully, referring to it as the worst sort of sensationalism and it's claims far too presumptuous to be taken seriously but using it nonetheless as proof of the reporter's unexpected behavior being most easily recognized as a misled reaction to a life of trauma which had subsequently induced in her a false attachment to her captor. The author concluded by offering condolences to the absent reporter, especially since she had only recently suffered the loss of such a well-known, long-term relationship and advised that she seek psychiatric counseling.

Megamind looked up at Minion and Roxanne darkly. "Where's Tom's article?"

"You don't need to read that," she argued. "It'll only upset you."

"Too late."

Minion had known his boss would want to know what was happening to Roxanne in the press, and he'd kept the relevant articles that had appeared so far. He himself had been angered by them, and, wanting revenge on her behalf and to clear his friend's name, he readily handed over the story that Tom Raines had published as easily as throwing fuel on a fire.

The front-page splash of the ill-reputed rag, one of the photos taken outside her apartment, was enough to infuriate him. Wearing his cape, which gaped open in the front just enough to show what she wasn't wearing underneath, her shocked expression reminded him of Tom's rudeness that day. In the photo he stood next to her, arm around her shoulders, looking for all the world as though he'd been drugged or was drunk. His face set like stone as he rapidly read the column inside accompanied by more photographs. Tom had related how he'd caught up with them outside Roxanne's apartment after the battle, how she had become angry and then irate, that Megamind appeared to be in some altered state.

Roxanne's noteworthy attire seemed to be the main focus of the article, bra and cape described in sordid detail, and the wily author speculated freely about why she might be minus some of her clothing. Whether she and the blue alien had been caught up in celebrating his victory or if possibly their relationship had secretly been flourishing far longer than anyone could have guessed. He claimed that upon being confronted she screamed at him and dehydrated him using Megamind's own gun, with which she was obviously very familiar. Had Roxanne Ritchie been two-timing on her boyfriend, the city's golden boy, Metro Man? Did she possibly have a hand in his death in order to help her illicit lover take his place as the 'hero' of Metro City instead? Had she even helped to create Titan, who it turned out was her former cameraman?

He hadn't stopped reading before he suddenly commanded, "Brainbots! Suit."

"Megamind, no."

He leapt off the bed, striding toward the curtain the brainbots were approaching with in order to put him back in his working clothes. They hadn't come to a complete stop before he disappeared inside.

"Don't do this! Tom Raines isn't worth the trouble. Everybody knows those tabloids don't report real news." He stepped out from the curtain again in record time, glowering as he placed the de-gun in its holster. "No one with sense would take that article seriously."

"Not every one has sense." He finally looked at her. "The 'real' newspaper referred to it too!"

"Mostly to point out how ridiculous what he'd said was."

"Using it to make a case for you having Stockholm Syndrome instead!" He held out his hand, demanding to see the newspaper again. "I want to know who wrote that editorial too."

She jumped off the bed and grabbed the front edges of his cape. "Stop! …Think! You can't go around attacking everybody who writes opinions you don't like. If you're going to be a hero, you're going to be in the news all the time. And you're going to have to get used to being talked about."

"I know all about that, Roxanne," he countered angrily with a wave of his hand. "Remember the books?" She recalled the trips to the library with Bernard, abruptly realizing that the rumors and slander she'd laughed about had all been about him, sitting there right beside her. "And I don't care what they say about_ me_! People have said whatever they've wanted to and _believed_ whatever they've wanted to about me as long as I can remember." He paused, looking in her eyes as he took a deep breath, and then frowned determinedly. "But no one… no one is going to say things like that about _you_."

Wide-eyed, she stared at him, overcome for a moment by his need to defend her when he wouldn't even stand up for himself. "Megamind, don't do anything that would put you back in prison. Please."

"Why?" He searched her face. Then he glanced at Minion who was watching the scene with a set to his pugnacious jaw that left him in no doubt about how his sidekick felt too. "Why not? I probably belong in prison just for thinking what I'm thinking right now!"

"Because!" She gripped the edges of the cape harder and pounded her balled up fists against his chest once, demanding his attention, desperate to figure out how to stop him from doing something they would all regret. "Because… because those conjugal visit rooms are disgusting!"

The anger disappeared from his face, and his eyes popped open and blinked. He stared for a moment. "What?"

"You heard me! Those seedy little rooms are _gross_! Everybody uses them and," she pulled him closer and spoke more quietly through gritted teeth, "that is not where I want to be with you."

Minion stood open-mouthed but suddenly snapped to. "I think I'll… go check on some laundry…" he casually mentioned, quickly slipping out of the room. Neither of his friends noticed him go, continuing to stare at each other.

"Conj-… conjugal visit rooms?" The black eyebrows nearly disappeared over the top of his head as he guffawed lightly.

"Yeah. That's right." With the tension shattered, Roxanne loosened her grip on his cape. "That's the last place I want to spend time together with you trying to figure out where this is going." She swallowed as she watched her hands smooth the crumpled fabric and leather. "Don't waste your chance for freedom and a new life on a dirt bag like Tom Raines…" She looked up at him. "It would kill me to think that jerk was the reason I'd have to give up waking up next to you again."

He stood looking at her, mouth working slightly but no sound coming out. A series of expressions passed over his face as she watched until he finally let out a forceful breath of air, shoulders dropping. "Roxanne… I don't know what to say."

"I just need to know you're not going to do anything to that sleezoid – no matter how much he deserves it - that would put you back in prison. Tell me."

He frowned slightly, obviously struggling with his desire for revenge, but he finally agreed. "All right. Nothing that would warrant a trip back to the cell." He paused before venturing, "Would you really turn down a visit in one of the-"

"Yes. Don't even go there."

His eyes opened wider at the thought of losing the momentum they'd built up so far, especially considering what she was clearly implying.

"Come on, Megs… just the thought of those little rooms is..." she stuck out her tongue and made a face that expressed her extreme repugnance to the idea of the sordid chambers.

He looked at her a moment and suddenly laughed. "Roxanne…"

"I'd much rather be with you here." She put her arms around him. "And I have a nice bedroom too, you know."

"I know," he agreed as his hands settled around her waist. "I've been in it."

"Well, I want you to be in it again." She looked at him longingly. "Stay with me, please. Here on the outside. On the good guys' side? I don't want to have to wait years to be able to wake up in your arms again."

He seemed to melt before her eyes and kissed her. She knew she'd won, but he added, "That's not the only reason you don't want me to go rain hellfire on Tom's parade though, is it?"

"Megamind… this is your big chance. You can do so much for this city now. It's time you use your gifts for good and for people to see you the right way finally. I want those crackpot 'experts' to eat their words. I want you to show them what you really are. Don't lose that chance."

His eyes searched hers for a moment. "What am I, Roxanne?" He wondered not only how she would answer, but he had to admit to himself that now that he was being heralded the city's new defender alongside the assumption that his life of crime had ended definitively with Titan's defeat, he felt at a loose end about how to proceed… and found it rather discomfiting. But Roxanne seemed to have no doubts and grinned at him.

"You're my hero," she stated, running a fingertip down the sleek stripe below his lip and kissed him, relieved that his fury seemed to have passed.

_Yes, yours. Gladly yours. But what about everyone else?_ As he hugged her, he knew that the real reason he'd bothered to save Metrocity at all was not because he cared so much for the citizens of the city he called home. They'd benefited because he wanted to save her… for himself. _Can I really be the hero she thinks I am?_ he wondered. _How can I not? She won't be with me otherwise_. He took a deep breath, still fighting the desire to go find Tom Raines. "I don't know if I can be this hero figure they think I am now."

"Of course you can." Roxanne called toward the door, "The coast is clear, Minion! Let's get this movie started." She kissed his blue cheek and gave him a pat on the butt for good measure, then flopped on her stomach on the bed as the fish tentatively stuck his head around the door.

Unsettled, Megamind reluctantly took off his cape. Sitting on the bed, he pulled off his boots and began to remove his gloves as well as he eyed Roxanne's prone form while she chatted to Minion about the Hitchcock movie as the opening credits rolled. He felt agitated. There were too many things eating at him – Roxanne's nearness was tantamount to torture at times, sweet as it was. He silently cursed Tom and the articles that made him seethe inside and about which he could do nothing now that he was 'good'. How would they avoid adding fuel to the rumors? He gazed at Roxanne again. _We might have to hide this whole thing for now. And I hate that..._ The meeting with the mayor was coming up soon and that along with his uncertainty about how to redefine himself publicly heaped more coals on the fire inside him. _I need to work. _He could see brainbots moving back and forth past his open doorway, some returning from their jobs while others were dispatched. He itched to check their progress and oversee the rebuilding being done_. I'm sure Minion's doing fine, but… Curse you, David! A week in bed, my fine blue butt! _"Go ahead and start. I need to check on something."

"Megs..."

"I'm not leaving to go terrorize anyone, Roxanne. Look… no boots. No cape." He turned to go but turned a mild scowl her way over his shoulder. "And when did you start calling me 'Megs'? You've used that a few times now."

She smiled at him. "What? David calls you that. It's cute."

He rolled his eyes and groaned melodramatically as he left. True to his word, he was back smartly before the end of the second scene, looking happier and carrying two drinks. As he sat on the bed, Roxanne moved back to lean against him. He handed her one of the drinks with a kiss, and she felt a small slosh land on her lap. "Oh!"

"Perfect," he muttered, checking his watch as she brushed the spot away with her hand. "Sorry, Roxie."

"Don't call me that," she chided.

"But!" he protested. "You're calling me Megs."

"Ok… but you do know who always calls me 'Roxie', don't you?" He looked at her quizzically. "Hal."

His eyes widened. "Oh! Never mind! Roxanne is it then."

After sipping her drink she handed it to him to replace on the bedside table and snuggled closer, watching the movie. She noticed him look at his watch again. _What's he up to now? _His restlessness was becoming more and more noticeable. She knew she wouldn't be able to keep him in bed much longer, but it seemed he didn't really need to be. Although they both admitted to still being a little stiff and sore in places, she planned to return to her office for a few hours tomorrow and from there back to her own apartment and her normal schedule. She was ready to get back to her daily routine and her job, which she loved, but thinking that tonight marked the end of their recovery together made her a little wistful. She would remember her first days alone with her new hero for a long time to come and nuzzled against his shoulder a moment before returning her attention to the movie. With a purr his arm tightened around her appreciatively, making her smile with contentment. _It's not like this'll be the last time I'm here. Obviously._ Suddenly a brainbot was hovering in her line of sight. "Hey! I can't see the movie!" she complained. As she tried to duck to either side, the oddly colored bot mirrored her movements, finally lunging toward her and dropping something in her lap before moving back.

Megamind looked at his watch again. "She made good time! Nice job…" He affectionately patted the bobbing bot as it waited for praise.

"These are my jeans…" Roxanne wondered aloud as she held them up.

"Yes!" he answered excitedly. "You mentioned the convenience of my own wardrobe changes. Well, Pinkie's going to be attending you." Smugly, he gave a slight shrug. "It only seemed right to assign her to you. She's my only pink bot."

"Because of the spill?" Roxanne was still puzzled. "But how does she know what to bring me?"

"I programmed her to assess what you're wearing and match it with what's in your closet."

"She'd have to be fairly familiar with my wardrobe, wouldn't she?" She paused and looked at him slyly. "Or you would."

"Well!… she _was_ helping in the clean up effort at your apartment. Must have… you know… been on the bedroom detail." The extent of his own familiarity with her wardrobe wasn't something he felt like admitting to just then. "She is a female bot! Girls pay attention to things like clothing, right?"

Raising an eyebrow at him and then the pants, she asked, "Is there a reason why she brought these jeans… in particular?"

"Um… well, those are the default item."

"Because?"

He paused. "Because they're the ones I like best on you."

With a chuckle, she mentioned, "I was going to get rid of them. They fit a bit snug."

He cleared his throat and leaned closer to leer knowingly, "I'm aware of that…"

She laughed. "So she'll always be watching me then?"

"More or less. It's not as though she'll be looking over your shoulder. But she'll be around. The brainbots are good at not being seen."

_I guess I'll get used to that._ Knowing she was being attended to made her feel a little self-conscious but special. _I wonder if there's anything else she can do._ She carefully reached out to the bot, which was still hovering in front of them. The brainbot crew had always seemed a little unpredictable to her_. I feel like I ought to make friends with it. All I ask is that she's not one of the biters._ But as her fingers reached forward, the pink bot startled her by extending a clawed limb toward her hair. Roxanne froze until the metal arm withdrew again, a kernel of popcorn delicately held in its pincers. "Oh!"

"That wasn't in her programming." Megamind seemed surprised but pleased.

"Wow. Well! She could be really helpful." She looked at him and added sincerely, "Thank you."

He held her gaze, clearly happy to please her in any way, and then brushed the hair back from her brow. "Anything for you… Roxanne." She smiled.

As the quiet sounds of kissing reached his auditory sensors, Minion sighed and rolled his eyes. _I am not looking back there_. "Are you two going to watch this movie or should I leave?"

* * *

><p>Wayne slowly put down the newspaper, staring at the wall. <em>Crap.<em> He sat silently thinking, looking at nothing. Finally he realized he was staring at one of the busts of himself, silently smirking. Then he slowly looked around his underground apartment, all the reminders of his past glory staring accusingly back at him. _Yeah… I know_. He sighed. It was about time he actually put himself on the line to help his friends.


	27. Back to Work

_Two chapters are ready! I'll post the next one pretty soon. Sorry it's been so long. :( Thank you for reading on and reviewing, for your encouragement and help!_

* * *

><p>Unexpectedly, Roxanne woke to find herself alone. Minion had long since retired to his own quarters. When his comments about Russell Crowe's portrayal of a brilliant but troubled genius went unanswered during the next movie, he was afraid that his friends might be preoccupied with another round of tonsil hockey, but venturing a glance back, he saw they'd simply succumbed to the late hour and the warmth of being curled up together like a pair of puppies. With a smile of approval he noted Ms Ritchie's head tucked under the chin of his blue friend, once again sleeping more soundly than usual, so he turned back to watch the end of the movie, happy in the fact that their budding romance seemed to be progressing smoothly.<p>

_I wonder where Megamind went. _Pulling his pillow closer, she hugged it and closed her eyes._ My last morning here, _she realized with a tinge of disappointment_. I'm certainly not going to miss sleeping in my clothes though._ She yawned and stretched her legs, thinking that jeans probably made the most uncomfortable sleep wear ever and that she would be glad to get back to her usual routine in many ways. _Back to the grindstone tomorrow. Better enjoy this while I can._ Breathing in his scent on the pillow, she wondered where her bed buddy might have disappeared to and was seriously considering going back to sleep when a body suddenly thumping onto the mattress startled her. "Good morning!"

She looked over at him trying to lounge casually despite being a little breathless from running into the room. "Good morning to you too, "she chuckled. "That was quite an entrance." She rolled onto her side to face him, head propped on one hand.

"Of course!" he shrugged modestly. "The dramatic entrance is one of my fortes."

"Where did you go?"

The emerald eyes shifted slightly, giving her the impression he was trying to conceal something. "Sorry, I was just working. I meant to be here when you woke up. Pinky was supposed to let me know." And she had, but he had been delayed by monitoring a stealth bot on its mission.

"You must be feeling better. You're up before me for once."

"I've been awake for a while. Thinking deep thoughts…" _–mostly about your cuddly, voluptuous body snuggled against mine until I couldn't take it anymore_. He reached over and brushed a strand of hair away from her eyes."And since you were still soundly asleep, I thought I'd sneak out and get to work on a couple of ideas I had."

She looked at him silently for a moment. "Anything you want to share with me?"

"Oh, it was nothing important." He smiled. "So! We're doing an interview today."

_I'm sure I'll eventually find out what he was up to._ "Yep, it's time we start getting the facts out there. We're going to set everybody straight and get your new career on track! Are you excited?"

"Of course!" His greatest concern had more to do with her though. "Um, although really it seems to me that the most offensive misinformation being spread around is about… us. And _you._" He frowned, unsure how to explain what he was about to suggest without giving her the wrong impression. "Roxanne, I think that… for now…"

"We shouldn't make all of _this_ public?" she finished for him with a gesture that encompassed the room and the bed.

"Exactly!" he agreed in relief.

With a smile she added, "No. I'm with you there. I really want to make sure the focus is where it should be: on you." She flicked end of his nose lightly, and he caught her hand and held it.

"Right." He added, examining her fingers, "Not that I wouldn't enjoy _bragging_…" he kissed the tips, "that I've had the lovely and talented Ms Ritchie-" another kiss "-waiting on me hand and foot in my bed the past few days, but… you know…"

"Excuse me?" she protested, trying to pull her hand back. "Waiting on you hand and foot? Oh ho, I don't think so…" Hearing the start of a mildly evil laugh, she picked up the pillow and whacked the side of his head.

"Hey!" He grabbed at it when she swung again, and they began a brief wrestling match, laughing and nearly rolling off the bed until Roxanne found herself pinned with her wrists above her head and a very smug blue face looking down at her from mere inches away.

"Do I have to say 'uncle' or bargain for my freedom some other way?"

"Hmm…" he pretended to consider before she lifted her head off the bed to brush her pink lips against his blue ones.

"That might work," he conceded, returning her kiss with interest. "Although I think you can do better if you're trying to convince me to let you go." Still restrained with her wrists firmly in his grasp, she found herself oddly excited at being held captive as his lips explored the bend between her neck and shoulder. _Just how much will it take before he lets me go?_ she wondered. She could feel his breath on her skin and his body moved forward, his arms resting along hers and wandering lips drifting up her neck and over her mouth. She closed her eyes and kissed back slowly. As long as using his advantage was to her advantage too, she wasn't going to complain. In fact as his hands began to relax their hold and slide downward, she couldn't hold back a hum of contentment. His fingers grazed over the sensitive skin on the underside of her arms, sending out tingles like shockwaves, and a few throaty giggles bubbled up against his lips, making him smile.

"I'm really going to miss the way you wake me up," she commented.

That breathy voice she used, the warm buzz against his lips as she spoke while he was still kissing her… every time they were together it was harder to control his reactions. Everything inside him seemed to call out for her. He stopped to get hold of himself again, trying not to think about finding more ticklish, sensitive spots on her body, green eyes lingering over each of her features before fixing her blue ones with a penetrating gaze. "You don't have to," he quietly offered just before a 'bowg' heralded the arrival of the morning paper being dropped beside their heads.

They both looked over at the bot hovering expectantly, bobbing slightly as it waited for praise. Megamind sat up and offered her a hand too before opening the news. He scanned it quickly while Roxanne cautiously patted the glowing cyborg, avoiding the sharp-looking fin on its dome and pondering its dog-like behavior. _I don't suppose he's ever had a real pet growing up in prison._ The bulbous eyestalk peered at her, turning this way and that before it bowged again, curiosity satisfied, and flew off. She wondered what it might go report to its fellows.

Megamind folded up the paper and smiled at her.

"Anything interesting in there today?" she asked, trying to judge his reaction.

"No, not really." A smile hid the anger burning inside him, newly stoked by the latest article. He tossed the paper over his shoulder. "Where were we?"

Clearing his throat loudly Minion walked in to announce that brunch was ready.

* * *

><p>Hal wasn't particularly surprised to see the tabloid reporter again. After all, he had been the one to give him all the most important information needed to bring the blue devil down a few notches and put more nails in the coffin of Roxanne's reputation. He assumed the man was back to let him know how things were going. Probably to thank him. And today he had something interesting to report about himself as well. "Well? What's the word? You got a copy of the article I can look at? They don't subscribe to your paper in here."<p>

Tom dropped a copy on the table before sitting down, watching Hal grab it up eagerly to read the story. "You've been a big help. The public is eating it up."

"They're really getting hammered, huh?" He laughed. "That's great…! Man, I wish I could see it."

"Yes, I'm sure you do. Do you have any more information for me?"

"What?" Hal laughed at the man's appetite to destroy the pair. He wondered again what he personally had against them, but he hardly cared. He had his own interests to attend to. "What more do you want? Oh…!" He lowered his voice and glanced around before adding, "Check this out!"

Green eyes widened in alarm as Hal gripped the edge of the table, leaving shallow grooves in the top where his fingers had crushed it.

"Yeah!" he chuckled with delight, trying to whisper. "Some of my powers are back!" He watched his hand flexing as though the effort had caused him some discomfort. "I can't always do it. Seems to come and go, but I'm thinking it's just, like, taking some time for it to build back up. What's Megamind gonna do about that, huh? Maybe I'll get to see the news for myself after all," Hal added with a wink.

"That's… impressive. So, what are you going to do with these powers? Vie for the role of super hero? Or become the new super villain?"

"Whoa there! Don't get too excited! I know you'd probably like dibs on being my personal reporter," Hal smirked, thinking of how Roxanne's career had been made by riding Metro Man's coattails. "But honestly?" He looked around. "First thing is, I just get out of here. After that? The sky's the limit." He put his hands behind his head and looked smug. "Might start by going back to visit a certain ex-girlfriend of mine. Now… you want me to make up some more dirt on those two?"

_Ex-girlfriend? I don't think so._ "Let's not call it making things up. I pride myself on reporting real news, you know."

"Oh yeah! Right, right..." He spoke behind his hand with a crooked smile. "_Real_ news. Like that last round of _real_ information I gave you, huh?" Even the dullest knife in the drawer could have understood Tom's implication that embellishments were not only acceptable but encouraged.

"Look, just for my own information, why don't you go over it again? Sort out the facts for me. I'm taking a little heat, and if I need to cover my tracks, it'll be helpful to know what I can go back and confirm with evidence and what I should…. skim over."

"Wait," Hal paused as a sudden feeling of suspicion made him uneasy. He looked the reporter over but there was no sign of the recording device he'd used last time. Still, he didn't want to be hung out to dry alone if a lawsuit came back on his words. "This is just for your own information, right?"

"Of course," Tom reassured smoothly. "And it could be of benefit to you. I like to be able to protect my sources."

"Oh…" Hal relaxed again. He wasn't that concerned about being protected, figuring that in a short time, he'd have all the protection he'd ever need. But for now it might be helpful to cultivate the favor of someone in the news. "Ok… I guess. Remember what I told you about the experiments?"

* * *

><p>"So he's regenerating the DNA?" Minion looked stunned.<p>

Megamind pulled his hands down his face slowly, then seeing the wrong skin tone on them, he turned off the disguise generator. "I knew it was possible, but…"

"_How_ is it possible?" Richard Doyle asked skeptically.

"If the de-fuser didn't remove all the strands of super genetic material, what was left may have continued replicating alongside his own DNA. And increasing too, since it's stronger."

"The guards noticed some minor damage in the cell but didn't put two and two together or think to tell me two days ago. Apparently he's been testing his strength," Warden Doyle informed them.

"This is not good," Minion commented unnecessarily. "What about using the de-fuser gun on him again?"

Megamind looked at him sourly. "Now that we're 'good', there are legal implications to forcing someone to submit to such procedures. His lawyer would be all over it in seconds. And if you think we're in the news now…"

Minion gave him a significant look. "We still know our way in and out of here."

"But they would know it was us, and I gave Roxanne my word I wouldn't do anything illegal anymore." He gritted his teeth, already fed up with having his hands tied.

"We'll post a watch on him and let you know if anything happens," the warden offered.

"We need to do more than that. And I have an idea, but I'll need access to my old cell and your permission to make some modifications."_ And I'm going to have to tell Roxanne._ He didn't want to worry her, but even more than that, he was worried for her. Hal still had her in his sights.

* * *

><p>The light on the answering machine seemed to be blinking faster than she'd ever seen it blink before, and she sighed, knowing there would be a million messages. As tempting as it was to erase them all without even listening, she pulled her finger back from the delete button and hit play<em>. <em>

"Hi, Roxanne! It's Darlene. Are you ok? We've got to catch up sometime! Can't wait to hear the news straight from the horse's mouth! Is this seriously going somewhere? You _know_ what I'm talking about…" Roxanne rolled her eyes. "Can't keep it to yourself forever! Haha! Catch ya later! … and I want details."

"ROXANNE!" Her boss's usual shouted greeting was too familiar to be startling. "You can NOT leave me in the dark like this! Call me." _Already did._

"Roxanne! Gabe Troyer, Channel 5 News. Wondered if we could work out something on…"

The messages continued as she moved around the apartment, barely listening. The brainbots had done such a good job with the clean up and repair, it was hard to tell where the damage had been. Grateful for the handy little crew, she suddenly wondered where Pinky might be. Megamind had said she would stay out of the way, but so far Roxanne had not caught sight of her at all.

"Pinky?" she questioned into thin air, and in seconds the feminine-colored bot was beside her. " Um, hi." It felt awkward talking to the little cyborg, and she wondered if it was able to follow commands in plain English. "When we're here… at home… could you stay where I can see you?" The bot stayed put, hovering as though waiting for more instructions. "Ok! …Good." She walked back to the bedroom and soon realized Pinky was trailing behind her. "Ah, I didn't mean you have to stick that close." She wondered aloud, "Where's a good place for you?… on the couch?" She imagined the pink dome under her elbow like a pillow.

"Borg-"

_Am I imagining things or did that sound like a negative_? "Or… maybe you'd be happier on top of the fridge?" At that, the bot flew away, and after a moment Roxanne followed curiously. She smiled as she watched the small ovular form land lightly on the top of the refrigerator and appear to nestle down. "Wow. You guys are amazing." As she turned to look around the room again, she added, "Actually, I think it's your creator that's pretty amazing."

Some of her things that had been damaged beyond repair had been replaced with similar items – the couch and pillows and lamps – and she wondered where he got them. Then correcting herself, she wondered if she should offer to pay for them. _He probably won't hear of it, but I'll ask anyway._ Checking her watch, she realized she had an hour before she had to be at the office. She already knew how she wanted to do the interview. _Time to make some notes and find that photograph_.

* * *

><p>"ALL RIGHT, everybody! Sheesh. CLEAR OUT… back to work! She's not going anywhere, for Pete's sake!"<p>

As the crowd of her co-workers began to drift away and the questions and pats on the back subsided, Roxanne turned to her boss. "Thanks, Dan."

"You're _not_ going anywhere, are you? He wouldn't just swing by and mess with us by kidnapping you again?"

Roxanne fixed him with a patient look, and went back to silently dealing with the accumulation on her desk that had appeared in her absence.

"So where is our bright blue celebrity? He'd better not back out of this interview," Dan remarked somewhat nervously. "First time anybody's managed to pin him down, and we're doing a _live_ interview? I have to hand it to you, Roxanne. You're gutsy."

"He'll be here." Unconcerned, she began to straighten her note cards. "Probably sneak in and show up right here by my desk before anybody even knows he's in the-"

"Are you sure you're talking about the same guy I am?" The sound of Dan laughing lightly made her look up. "He never was much for sneaking."

Right outside the 5th floor window stood the giant battle bot that had challenged Titan at City Hall with the city's new defender on board, looking in the window and waving at them with a huge grin. A giggle escaped Roxanne before she could stop it, and her boss shot her a look. "Oh ho… so that's how it is!"

"Oh ho yourself, Dan," Roxanne groused, watching the bot walk away from the window and gathering up her materials quickly. "Don't tell me you of all people believe everything you read!"

"So… it's not true?" She didn't answer, and he followed her as she walked away. "So it IS!" Still no answer. "Come on, Roxanne, I'm your boss! Don't you think I should know if…"

* * *

><p>"Could I speak with you?" Megamind requested as he gave away yet another autograph to one of her gawking colleagues.<p>

As they moved over to a quieter corner, he pulled a micro-recorder from somewhere and handed it to her. "A couple of things… first, you'll want to listen to this later."

Frowning at the small device, she asked, "What is it?"

"Just some solid evidence you'll be able to use to combat Tom Raines' libelous tripe," he answered smugly.

She looked at him sharply, "Megamind… you promised!"

"Roxanne, I didn't employ any methods that any investigative reporter isn't familiar with." He sniffed and folded his arms. "My disguises are simply superior."

Rolling her eyes, she resisted the urge to argue with him, deciding it was more important to keep him in a good mood for the interview. "Ok, what's the second thing?"

His expression became much more serious. "We have a problem. It appears Hal's regenerated some of the DNA… Wayne's DNA." He noted how still she suddenly became. "He has a long way to go before resuming all of his powers again, and to be perfectly honest, I'm not sure he'll even get to that point. But," he lowered his voice but put his hand on her arm before remembering they were still within sight of everyone. "I want to keep you near me. At least until I figure out what to do about him."

"What about my job? I need to get back to work," she complained. "And anyway, Pinky's keeping an eye on me, right?"

"The best she can do is inform me if you have trouble."

Roxanne sighed, annoyed that Hal was continuing to make trouble, but Megamind interpreted her annoyance as directed elsewhere. "After work at least," he insisted. "Stay at the Lair in the evenings, and Minion or I will take you to and from the office."

"What about if I'm called out to a story?" She frowned, torn between having an excuse to stay with him again and being protected or risking finding herself in Hal's clutches again to reclaim a sense of normalcy and order in her life. "Look, let's talk about this later." She guided him over to the set and indicated where they were both going to sit. "This first interview is pretty important. I really want this to go well, so for now… we're not going to worry about Hal or Tom or anything like that, right?"

He took a deep breath. "Right."

"You're not nervous, are you?"

"No! No, not at all." As she sat across from him with a calm smile and crossed her ankles prettily, the crew did sound and lighting checks. He had to admit to himself that he was a little nervous, but Roxanne's professional demeanor was reassuring. "Should I be?"

"Of course not. You and I are basically just going to have a chat."

"Gotcha." _With the rest of the city watching and waiting to pass judgment, that's all. After having read those ludicrous news stories_. The morning paper had contained an op-ed piece by none other than Tom Raines, who had outdone himself, twisting and repackaging Hal's recollection of events until he'd established Roxanne as even more than an accomplice in the plan to create a new hero. Hal was made out to be a sacrificial lamb, lured by her charms to Megamind's lair where he was forced to be the subject of dark experiments. By the end of the article, he had led the readers down the garden path to the conclusion that Roxanne must have had a long established relationship with Megamind as well as Metro Man, keeping trophies from each of them such as the cape Hal reportedly found in her closet, playing one against the other to make the news on which she built her career, orchestrating the recent turn of events as a way to spice up the confrontations which had become too stagnate and predictable. The anger Megamind held back made him antsy. It constantly threatened to boil over_._ He wouldn't be able to keep the lid on it forever._ No matter what I promised her or what they call me now, you will pay for this, Tom Raines_.


	28. Lights, Camera, Argument

**_Happy Birthday to me! :D Here's a slice of 'hero pie' for you to celebrate it!_**

* * *

><p>Coming back from the first commercial break, a more profound hush than usual filled the studio as the bright, hot lights shone down on the lean blue figure dressed in spike-studded black leather intently discussing his battle to save the city with the polished reporter in her crisp blouse and skirt. The microphones hung overhead like fuzzy, grey caterpillars waiting on every word while the cameras captured the surprisingly easy camaraderie between the ex-villain and his former victim. Perceptive viewers would notice there was something more between the pair as well. The short introductory section of the program had gone smoothly, giving the viewing audience time to get used to seeing the shady alien in a less threatening setting and manner, piquing their curiosity before asking them to turn their attention to actually listening to him. In order to narrow the focus, Roxanne had requested Minion be absent this time.<p>

"So how are you feeling now? You took a lot of abuse out there."

He flexed his hand. "I'm doing very well. Luckily, I am an exceptionally fast healer," he smirked, tenting his fingers together before his chin, and refraining from adding '_when given the right incentives'_.

Roxanne was pleased at seeing him answer easily and with his characteristic charm. She understood that part of his attraction was his confidence and knew that the public had found him fascinating even while reviling him as a villain. "I think a lot of people were worried about you. I certainly was, and I recall the crowd reacting very positively when you came out of the ambulance again." As she spoke, he noticed a monitor off to one side showing what was being broadcast to the viewers at home. A clip of the gathered citizens cheering as he exited from the back of the emergency vehicle matched her words. She smiled. "That must have been gratifying. Did you expect it?"

"No! I didn't. It was surprising." He could barely recall the roar of the crowd although he remembered Roxanne flying into his arms very clearly. "I was pretty dazed at that point, and I certainly hadn't expected to be hailed as a hero right off the bat."

"And yet that's exactly what people who'd witnessed it _were_ calling you. Can you talk a little bit about how this all happened? Where did 'Titan' come from and why? And in the end, what made you take him on the way you did?"

"Well," he paused. "It's easiest to answer the last question first. The reason I had to fight him was because of… you." Roxanne looked somewhat surprised he'd decided to answer so openly. "It was my fault you were in danger. And I decided I had to get you out of it again."

"I think our viewers might find that strange, considering the number of times you kidnapped and threatened me to lure your opponent into battle."

"Ah! Then your viewers do not realize that at no time during any of those kidnappings were you actually in danger." He smirked at her. "Annoyed, yes! And I meant it to _look_ like you were being threatened in dire circumstances... but I would never have let _anything_ happen to you." His eyes fastened on hers as a smile curled at one corner of his mouth.

Roxanne couldn't contain the answering smile or the warm flush rising into her cheeks, so she cleared her throat and glanced at the note cards in her hands._ Down, boy... we're supposed to be steering clear of that._ "And what about the other citizens of Metro City? There is no record of you actually having purposely injured anyone. It seems that your convictions mostly consist of property damage, public nuisance, public menacing... Isn't the truth that you didn't really want to hurt people at all?"

_Now wait..._ "I could have," he asserted quickly.

"But you didn't," she added firmly, waiting for his confirmation.

Slightly irritated, he wished she wouldn't pick apart his reputation for being bad quite so thoroughly. "Well…" he answered dismissively with a wave of a hand.

Roxanne didn't seem to notice. "So tell us about Titan. You created him… as a hero or a villain?

"Oh, most definitely he was supposed to be a hero. I _trained_ him to be a hero… but apparently he was less than happy about taking on the responsibility." The next clip showed Hal using his laser vision to carve up the streets.

"Why would you do that? You'd taken over the city. It looked like you had everything you wanted."

"I thought so too. I thought I'd achieved my ultimate goal. But having everything I wanted didn't make me happy. And in trying to figure out why, I realized there must be a balance between good and evil. They need each other… and I thought I could restore the balance I'd destroyed by creating a new hero for Metrocity. Someone to fight for the city while I continued to fight against it."

_Metrocity. We'll have to work on that_. "You enjoyed your battles with Metro Man, didn't you?" A montage highlighted Megamind and Metro Man's past confrontations. Close ups showed them laughing or bantering, clearly enjoying themselves.

He paused. "I did. It was my destiny to be the villain. My life's work. And I found it fulfilling in many ways."

The clips stopped as Roxanne asked, "You truly thought you were destined to be a criminal? _The_ ultimate bad guy? You know, if you ask most children what they want to be when they grow up, they'll say they want to be firefighters or teachers or race car drivers… How did you ever get the idea that you were supposed to become a super villain?"

As the monitor showed a tight shot of his face, he suddenly felt the pressure of being on the spot. "Well… everyone tries to figure out what they're supposed to do with their life."

"Young people usually have some guidance about that. But you grew up in a prison." The stark exterior of Metro City Prison for the Criminally Gifted appeared next. "You landed there, in a small spacecraft, when you were only a few days old…. alone." Roxanne's softer tone caught him off guard.

"Uh, relatively."

"And you were raised in that prison because people were afraid of you, isn't that right? Because you looked so different, they treated you like you were someone to be feared, even from the time you were little. So then you never had a family or parents at all either," she commented sadly.

He shifted in his seat, uncomfortable with the focus of her questions. "That's true, but I did have Minion! He was a great help to me… always loyal." He smiled. "The perfect companion, that fish! Although he's not really a fish. But we went everywhere together, so I was never truly alone-"

"He even went with you to school for a short time, didn't he? Your one true friend." On the monitor, a still photograph filled the screen. He leaned forward slightly, squinting in disbelief, but Roxanne handed him his own copy of it, and he stared down at the only class photo he had ever been in.

"Where did you get this?" he asked with quiet severity, forgetting about being on television at all.

Roxanne inclined her head toward the camera slightly to remind him. "From one of your former classmates." She pressed on, "School must have been difficult for you. Coming from the prison… no one to take your side when you had problems…. I understand you suffered some bullying and-"

"Could I speak to you privately?"

She blinked and stared at him for a moment. Off to one side, the floor manager's eyes popped open alarmingly, and he made frantic gestures. "Um, we are _live_…"

With a tight-lipped smile, Megamind waved a hand toward the crew who froze like deer caught in headlights. "I'm sure it wouldn't be at all difficult to go to a commercial break for a few minutes. These professional people can make that happen."

Roxanne blinked rapidly, thinking she should have explained some things to him about the broadcast. Getting the high sign from the floor manager at last, she conceded, "Apparently they can! We'll be right back after this."

They both stood, and he followed her rapidly back to the corner. Whirling around, she hissed, "What are you _doing_?"

"What are _you_ doing?" he demanded. "Where did you get that photograph?"

"From Wayne. And he told me about what you went through in school. It's no wonder you thought you had to become a villain. That's what everybody told you, and I think if we explore-"

Placing his fingertips to his forehead, he closed his eyes and interrupted with a frustrated sigh. "You want people to feel _sorry_ for me?"

"I'm establishing a sense of compassion for you. Sympathy! If people understood why you used to act 'evil' in the first place, they'll be more likely to-"

He looked up with a frown. "I don't _want_ them to feel sorry for me. I don't need _pity._ _You_ never pitied me when I had you tied up. You were downright snarky at times, and I preferred that to this!"

She put a soothing hand on his arm. "Listen. You need to let yourself be guided in this. I know what I'm doing. Just answer the questions. This is about establishing who you are in the eyes of the public."

He crossed his arms, making her hand drop away. "Well then! Let's just announce to them that when I handed over my title of super villain, I handed over my testicles too."

Roxanne mouth dropped open. "WHAT! What are you talking about?" Her shocked expression did nothing to assuage his anger.

He made a sharp gesture toward the chairs they'd been sitting in and hissed, "Don't emasculate me out there! No self-respecting man wants people to pity him – certainly not _me_!" He resisted the urge to stamp his foot. "Yes, I had a difficult childhood, but I _chose_ to be Metrocity's villain! No one forced me into that role, and I was good at what I did. I took _pride_ in it!"

"What kind of hero takes pride in having terrorized an entire city for years?"

"Me!" He pointed at his chest and tried to keep his voice lower. "That's who I am! You can't erase it or ignore it or explain it away. And I don't want you to."

They stared each other down. Roxanne's pride stung. She couldn't believe he was questioning her decision of how to present the story. With all her experience! And in front of all her colleagues! In the back of her mind a small voice chimed in that he was so damn sexy when he was asserting himself and in that growling voice too, but she stuffed the thought back down impatiently. A gofer skidded up to them and announced they had 30 seconds remaining before sprinting away again. She glanced aside to see the stunned crew watching gravely. _And he still hangs onto this idea of being bad… even now!_ "You are so _stubborn_!" she hissed back at him as he scowled. "Fine. We'll do it your way." _You want snarky? Snarky, it is_. She called out, "Tim! Nix the school photograph."

They stalked back to the chairs and sat down again. Roxanne took a deep breath and tried to relax the frustration from her features. Megamind didn't bother. The production crew looked at each other apprehensively, readying to go back on the air again.

"That don't look like Stockholm Syndrome to me," a cameraman muttered out of the corner of his mouth to one of the boom operators.

"We're back. I'm here with Megamind, formerly Metro City's most feared super villain, now turned defender." She asked him, "We were just talking about your school career. It wasn't very long, was it?"

"No, it wasn't. I'm almost entirely self-educated," he announced in a superior tone.

"Well, I guess that explains the occasional odd pronunciation," she remarked. His shoulders dropped as he shot her a dirty look. "Why don't you tell us what happened to end your formal education so early."

The tension between them was nearly palpable as each one considered how to steer the conversation the way they wanted it to go. "I was often in trouble at school."

"Often in trouble for what?"

"For being myself," he countered. "And eventually I got kicked out."

"Kicked out in first grade."

"Yes."

"Impressive! Is it true what people say then? That you were born bad?"

"Of course not!" He scowled again and shifted in his seat, wishing they hadn't argued. She certainly knew how to hold her own. _She always gets under my skin one way or another._ "No one's _born_ bad. I wasn't a popular student and I… I got picked on a lot." Unknowingly, his face registered the pain of those memories before he added with a rougher edge to his voice, "And I retaliated."

_Good. At least he admitted that he was picked on_. "I'm sorry to hear that." She couldn't help softening toward him again. "That must have changed the way you saw yourself."

He paused thoughtfully before conceding. "Well… it did, yes… When you're told often enough that you're bad, you begin to believe it." Abruptly he straightened and looked at her. "But in the end I made a name for myself based on what I felt I was destined to be. I'd found what I was good at. So I set out to be the _best_ at it!"

"Well, there's no denying you were very good at being bad," she agreed. "But when your most recent creation refused to cooperate… to be the balance on the side of good that you'd made him to be… when he showed _his_ true colors we all saw another side of _you_. You risked your life to save me and the entire city too. Now you're being hailed as Metro City's new champion by the very people who used to fear you."

"Most of them." She frowned, unsure of what he meant until he added, "And while everyone is entitled to their opinions, those who insist on deliberately spreading _noxious lies_ about anyone close to me may find themselves on the receiving end of _justice_!" He glowered toward one of the cameras, making the leather of his gloves creak slightly as he clenched his fists. In the quiet studio, the sound seemed magnified. Several crew members were suddenly happy they were behind the recording equipment and not in the business of writing the news.

_Agh! Megamind! We're going for 'hero' here, not 'vigilante'!_ She spoke up. "Ahem... But it seems the majority, including the mayor I might add, have already made the leap from thinking of you as a villain to embracing you as a hero."

"Rather fickle, aren't they?" he commented airily as though he couldn't care less what they thought.

He knew he'd crossed a line seeing a hard glint in her eye and a set to her jaw that meant she was just about fed up with him, but she calmed herself again and raised an eyebrow. "Or maybe… just maybe… they weren't really that afraid of you all along. Maybe deep down the people of this city recognized the game we were all playing." A monitor showed the crowd at the opening of the museum, booing the villain on the big screen, cheering for the hero. That was when he realized how much they were enjoying it - looking like nothing more than rowdy hockey fans on home ice or the rabid spectators at one of those ridiculously staged wrestling events.

"And in the end, seeing you put your life on the line to do what was right allowed them to recognize what was really inside you. How much you're invested in this city." Then she looked at him so intently, he felt she personally wanted a clear answer to the next question and wasn't just asking for the sake of the viewing audience. "So, the question becomes… are you willing to put on the white hat? Will you be our champion now?"

Resisting the urge to make a crack about not finding a hat that would fit him, he saw now that he couldn't only be her defender. He seemed to see the entire crowd at the museum in her eyes. It was as though at that moment the city and Roxanne were one, inseparable. This was a commitment that he would have to undertake fully, accepting the limitations and inconveniences alongside the benefits or not undertake it at all. And that meant not having her at all. Everyone in the studio felt the weight of his words when he answered her solemnly, "Yes - to the best of my ability."

Lost in the moment, Roxanne nearly answered back her feelings without thinking but checked herself when from the corner of her eye she saw the floor manager indicating the time was up. She addressed the camera instead, wrapping up the interview with professional brevity and promising the audience more interviews to come, next time including Megamind's popular sidekick. And the interview was over.

As murmuring broke out among the crew, Roxanne and Megamind got up and left the set, silent and thoughtful. They walked along wrapped in their own thoughts until, rounding a corner, he suddenly reached over and took her arm. Stopping to give him a questioning look, she saw him check behind them before turning back to face her, brows lowered like a thundercloud. For a moment she thought he was ready to begin their argument again until one hand slipped around her waist and pulled her toward him as a small squeak escaped her, silenced as his mouth covered hers. She quickly forgot whatever protest she was going to make. When he felt her kissing back, his other hand stole around her as well, pulling her more firmly against him. Her fingers traveled up his arms, catching at the buckles on his gloves. He broke away first, keeping his voice down. "I know that's not how you wanted that to go… I'm sorry if I made your job harder, but I-"

"No. No, it was fine. I really should have-"

He stopped her with another kiss, knowing they might only have a moment or two to themselves. _I do not want to argue with her... I can't mess this up again._ Her fingers gripped his biceps, and he realized she was nervous about getting caught even though she was kissing him back. He pulled away from her again to press his cheek to hers, his voice low in her ear. "I love you, Roxanne."

Stunned, she stood simply unable to speak. His sensitive ears picked up footsteps approaching, and with the barest sigh he squeezed her briefly before beginning to let go. Still holding his arms as they parted, she didn't have time to answer before Dan rounded the corner. "Oh! Sorry…"

Megamind took a step back from her, eyes never leaving her face. Roxanne weakly answered her boss, "No problem, uh, Dan."

"Ah! Well! I just wanted to say I thought that went over very well, actually. Ahum… a _little_ unexpected, but that just makes everything more interesting for the folks at home, right?" He chuckled heartily, oblivious of having interrupted a serious moment. "You always were particularly good at surprising your audience, Megamind, so I suppose we'll have to keep that in mind for your next interview!" He chuckled again before abruptly turning serious. "There will be a another interview, won't there?"

The green eyes finally turned on him, "Of course!" Roxanne recognized his public persona being employed as he excused himself. "And now I have some overseeing to do at the museum site. Minion's informed me that they've ordered a new statue built, and it's going to be a rather tricky structure to construct. The brainbots can't do everything on their own." Feeling a need to escape, he turned to Roxanne. "You remember what I said earlier."

"Yes." She had decided to not turn down his offer of protection anyway, but now she had another reason for returning to the Lair that evening. "I'll see you later."

He nodded to her and strode away quickly, cape billowing. Watching him leave, she barely heard Dan prattling on beside her, saying he didn't think the man was really so bad and that she was right, everyone loves to hate the villain but loves it even more when the bad guy comes good. He gloated about their advantage over the other news channels thanks to her influence over him. She didn't even react as he put an arm around her shoulders in a fatherly manner, generously giving her permission to take it easy the rest of the day. "Get your cubicle back in order. Maybe write up some notes for that next interview," he suggested with a grin.

"Yeah, thanks."

"I noticed you didn't… uh, broach the subject of our dearly departed Metro Man?… Seems like kind of an obvious omission."

Roxanne shook herself back to the present. "Don't worry. We'll cover that next time. I'm saving up the really big interview for after the meeting he has tomorrow at City Hall. Didn't want to touch some of those subjects – especially that one - until the important people hear the story first."

"Oooh! There's a story behind that, is there? Do tell!"

"You'll hear it. Eventually." She enjoyed holding information over him, dangling it like a treat.

Dan scowled impatiently. "You can be a very mean woman, Roxanne."

Back at her desk, she stood mindlessly shoving things around and rearranged the same set of sticky notes three times, making no headway into the mess that had magically appeared while she was gone, wondering why he'd chosen the timing he had to tell her that he loved her. _We'd just argued. I wasn't even being very nice, _she thought regretfully_. Ok… why does anything he does surprise me anymore? This is… it's… augh, he still leaves me all mixed up!_

She sat down and then spread her hands over the mess as though she could gain control over her jumbled thoughts by clamping down on the chaos in front of her. Taking a deep breath, she propped an elbow on the desk and raised a hand to her forehead for a moment, then self-consciously pressed her fist against her mouth to hide the smile curving along her lips. _He's in love with me_. She sat very still, feeling her chest rise and fall as she mentally replayed the words, hearing his distinctive voice so clearly it gave her a shiver.

_Ok, am I really surprised?_ She had to admit she wasn't, even though hearing the man who'd driven her crazy for years actually speak the words so quietly into her ear had taken her breath away. And she hated the question that involuntarily popped up next. _Does he really know what love is?_ Such a complicated concept to pin down for any normal person whose life was filled with relationships from birth on, how would he define the meaning of love when he'd been isolated for so long?

_Who am I to question him? I'm not even sure I know what love is._ The words had never been easy for her to say. She knew she was too cautious, always overly careful in relationships. And she was sure that he wanted to hear those words back from her. _Do I love him? _She listened to the question echo in her thoughts._ Wayne said I do_. She snorted against her hand and shook her head at the idea of the egoist trying to tell her she was in love._ Wayne… _Pulling herself together again, she grabbed the nearest stack and began to sort methodically_. Better get your act together, Waynie. You've got three days to come clean. I haven't forgotten._

* * *

><p>"Hey, Metro City! Hey! Hey…" The large man who took the stage at Checkered Past for the regular Wednesday night karaoke commanded the attention of every person in the bar before he sang a single note. As soon as he spoke, startled patrons looked up at him… and then looked at each other. The track he'd chosen began to play, and he started to sing and move around, swinging to the beat. Someone lifted their phone to capture a photo, and a cloud of phones followed suit. The bartender fumbled for his own cell with shaking hands, gaping at the man on stage.<p>

* * *

><p>"Heads up, folks! We've got an Elvis."<p>

The group gathered in the main office of the Metro City Flash groaned en masse at the announcement. "Elvis" sightings were not exactly rare, but rarely panned out to be anything worth putting in print. They were often ignored unless news was particularly slow.

"Come on…" someone yelled. "You're really going to send somebody to _that_?"

"Got this one from a reliable source, kids. Says there's some dude up at the Checkered Past on 10th that's a dead ringer for our late, great hero. Singing karaoke, no less. Tom!"

Tom Raines looked up from his computer incredulously. "What? Seriously? You're sending me out on an Elvis?"

"Might really be him, you never know. And since you're already working the Megamind story, you might as well check this too. It's related." Catching the bitter scowl on Tom's face, he added, "Hey, it's at a bar. If it turns out there's nothing to it, buy yourself a drink. Jerry's the bartender. Tell him it's on me."

"I don't drink," Tom muttered as he picked up his jacket and stomped out.

* * *

><p>The temperature inside had reached sauna levels with all the bodies packed together, the numbers having swollen considerably as people called their friends and told them to come down. Tom shoved and pushed to get to the bar and leaned over it, shouting above the noise for Jerry.<p>

"-at's me!"

"I'm Tom… from the Flash? What's with the crowd? Aren't you over the legal capacity?"

"Well, check it out, man! Look at that!" He pointed toward the brightly lit stage where a very familiar looking man was singing. His preferred selection at the moment was a vintage rock tune that everyone knew, and Tom snorted at the aptness of the term 'Elvis sighting'. The entertainer jumped and spun in the air, his white jumpsuit complete with a short cape catching the lights as he seemed to come back down again more slowly than was natural, mesmerizing the crowd watching.

"So what," Tom groused. "A Metro Man look-a-like."

"Dude! Check him _out_… that guy's huge! Big guys don't float in the air like that."

Giving the bartender a knowing look, he prodded, "You rig him up with wires? Business is pretty good tonight."

Jerry sneered at the skeptic. "Hey, man. I never seen that guy before. I got nothin' to do with this." He wiped down the bar, making the reporter move back from the wet surface.

Tom looked around at the captivated faces and back at the man performing. He did look very much like the former hero, but it was impossible. Whoever this person was, he had everyone fooled, and Tom immediately thought of Megamind. _This would be exactly what he'd want. How else is he going to dodge a murder rap? Make everybody think his victim is still alive._ As he started to thread his way through the crush toward the stage, annoyed patrons jostled and shoved at him. Suddenly Tom realized the singer was finishing his song to rowdy cheering. Then instead of stepping back into the audience, the man waved, turned, and exited out a side door. Swept up in a throng trying to push out the door after him, by the time he got outside it was too late.

"Where is he?"

"I don't know! It's like he just disappeared."

"…heard that guy in the red jacket say he _flew_ off."

"… you think it was him? Metro Man?"

"He's supposed to be dead."

"Yeah… _supposed_ to be…"

"I called it! Remember? I said that explosion couldn't have killed him! You know when the…"

Tom stood listening to people and scanning around. _This has to be Megamind's work. You're not going to fool me though, Bluey. I'm sure getting this in the news is exactly what you want._ His cell rang. "Yeah?"

"Whatcha got?" his boss inquired.

"Nothing." Tom looked toward the sky. "It's a bust."


	29. So Close and Yet So Far

_Whew! Long chapter. And this is an "M" warning: This chapter contains an 'adult situation'. I know it's probably mild compared to some of the M stories published here, and I usually stick to sharing adult material by request. However since it's an integral part of this story, I included it this time. If you want to skip it, jump ahead right after she locks the door and we see what Hal is doing to when Megamind asks, "What made you change your mind?" You'll see where I mean._

_I have a fic to point you toward too! Sciencefictionfan2061 has just joined us here and written a sort of continuation of Filigree (which is such a huge compliment, thank you so much, Heather!) called Meteor Shower Wishes. Would you go read it and give her some wonderful feedback? You guys have been the absolute best here. I am so grateful for all the reviews - every single one of them, truly - and I am excited to go read this fic myself. Haven't yet, so beat me on over there and give her a big welcome. :) Love you all! Thanks for reading this crazy story yet again. _

* * *

><p>"Hello, Ms Ritchie! Have a good day at work?" Minion's bright smile lit his round face as he leaned across the seat and opened the passenger side door for her.<p>

"Not bad, Minion, thanks," she answered, thinking it was nice to be greeted at the end of a long day by someone so cheery and polite. Glad as she had been to return to her job, trying to catch up and doing the live interview had tired her, not to mention dealing with rumors and extra attention. "I know you were working with the brainbots today, but did you manage to see the interview?"

"Yes! Yes, I did. I thought it went very well." Actually he had been nervously watching through his metal fingers covering the front of his dome for a few tense moments, foreseeing how his rather private friend would react to the photograph and Roxanne's prodding. He wondered what they had said to each other during the commercial break Megamind had insisted on.

Roxanne sighed. "I'm afraid I upset him a little."

"Oh, now… I wouldn't worry about it too much. He's just not used to answering those kinds of questions, that's all. By the time I saw him, he was fine again." His boss had thrown himself wholeheartedly into the work of building the statue at the museum and hadn't mentioned what happened at all.

"We had an argument, as I suppose you could guess." She sighed again and looked out the window at the buildings slipping by and her own reflection looking back at her. "When I looked at the tape later, I realized probably _everybody_ knew we'd had an argument!"

Minion smiled to himself. It _had_ been pretty obvious. The looks on their faces and the verbal sparring that happened at the end of the segment had actually been quite entertaining. "Well, the good news is that it was pretty clear you're not trapped in some sort of controlling relationship or suffering from a psychological condition! Anybody watching could see you were able to hold your own." He chuckled a little, thinking of his own propensity for always backing down in their disagreements, and added more quietly, "That's probably good for him too." _About time he learned he can't always get his way!_

Roxanne's tired smile returned. She was tempted to discuss details with the intuitive fish, to pick his brain about how her blue enigma might be thinking but on second thought she realized she ought to go right to the source. It was time they started learning how to really talk to each other, and it seemed unfair somehow for her to get the jump on him by pumping Minion for background info first. "So where is he now?"

"Oh, he's gone to inspect the clean up and rebuilding, plus he has some work to do at the prison. I know it's been driving him crazy not being able to oversee things until now. He'll probably be back late. We might see him for dinner, but I can't even promise that. I was given instructions to pick you up and see to whatever you need."

"And keep an eye on me too, right?" She wondered what he might be doing back at the prison again.

"That too." Minion glanced over at her. "Don't worry about Hal, Ms Ritchie. We're not going to let anything happen to you."

She looked pleased at hearing him use 'we' instead of 'he'. "Thanks, Minion. I know I couldn't be in safer hands. And, you know, you can call me Roxanne if you want."

"Eh, I kinda like using 'Ms Ritchie'. I'm used to it." Minion's childish grin increased his attractiveness exponentially. "So! What do you need? Change of clothes? You know, you might want to keep some things at the Lair anyway, just on the off chance you would, uh, need to stay there again some time. Or, we can start by getting a bite to eat if you like."

She rested her head back against the seat and closed her eyes. The purr of the Hudson's powerful engine was soothing. _It's nice to finally be riding up front and upright._ "There's only one thing I really want right now… coffee!"

"Ah!" he exclaimed knowingly. "I'm used to hearing that. Just sit back and relax, and I will have a steaming cup of Joe in your hands in no time!" He made a turn and headed for Megamind's favorite coffee shop, thinking what a coincidence it was that he was taking her back to the place where not long ago he had picked up a certain card that had sparked the new idea which had started them all down this crazy path.

* * *

><p>Hal sat on his bunk looking at comics, bored and barely paying attention to the printed material in his hands. He thought about having Roxanne on the tower to himself. What he wouldn't give for another chance to do that over. <em>"There's still good in you, Hal." Yeah, well, if that's true, why'd you have me put in jail, Roxanne?<em> Obviously she still bought in to the idea that the hero gets the girl. She was with Megamind now. Burning anger filled him at the thought that even as a super-stud, she wouldn't be with him. His power was getting stronger though. Before long he was going to be able to have another little talk with her.

* * *

><p>Megamind flew into the Lair and parked the jet bike in its usual spot. He turned it off with a weary smile, giving it a fond pat as a small cluster of brainbots gathered around to greet him upon his return home. He'd been relieved to find Minion had been able to salvage and rebuild the vehicle during his recovery. Throwing a couple wrenches absentmindedly, he wondered where his friends might be in the dark and empty looking building. He was sure Roxanne had indicated she would be staying with them, and it was late. Maybe she'd already gone to bed. He headed toward his room, recognizing he was fighting fatigue himself. Thinking of slipping under the sheets beside her gave him a quick thrill. Would she greet him with her own declaration of being in love? And could he hold himself back from seducing her – should he bother to try? He paused outside the bedroom door before opening it, but the room was empty, the bed still made.<p>

As he began searching for the pair in the cavernous lair, he mentally reviewed the adjustments he'd begun on his former cell and wished at the same time that he'd had more of a chance to speak to his feisty reporter after the interview. Nervously he wondered for the hundredth time how she was going to react, what she might say about his admission. _She didn't answer. Well, I suppose I did catch her off guard. And then her boss interrupted... And just where the heck are those two_, he griped to himself, looking around as he walked along_._

Beginning to be concerned, he came full circle to the where the bike was parked again. _The car is here. They must be here_. All of the bots were calmly going about their business or at rest in recharge mode, not a single one on alert; there couldn't be a major problem. He stood still and thought and finally remembered the one place he hadn't checked.

As the lift into the fake observatory stopped, quiet voices finally reached his ears. On a blanket spread on the floor and looking out at the stars were his missing friends. Hearing him approach, they both turned and greeted him with big smiles. Suddenly he felt peeved. It was hardly fair that Minion was the one to be hosting the love of his life in such a romantic setting, lights out and gazing at the stars, while he had been out working. "_There_ you are! What are you trying to do? Give me a nervous breakdown? I couldn't find you!" His voice sounded harsh even to his own ears, and he mentally kicked himself seeing the fish's smile fade away.

"Sorry, Sir."

"Minion was just showing me some constellations and telling me some things about your home planet. It's amazing how much he remembers." She knew now that the aquatic sidekick had been somewhat older than the tiny blue baby he'd been paired with just before they were jettisoned from their doomed planet.

Megamind pouted as he stood over them, arms crossed. The light from the moon shone into the dark room, highlighting Roxanne's hair silver, making her blue eyes larger and darker. He wished _he_ had been the one to tell her about his planet and be sitting on a blanket under the moonlight with her. Grouchiness made him short with them. "Well, I'm glad you were having a good time."

"Do you want to sit down with us?" she asked, patting the blanket.

He did, but his grumpiness wouldn't let him unbend enough to accept her invitation. "About time to turn in, don't you think? You know we have that meeting first thing tomorrow at City Hall. And it's late."

"Ah! And I meant to have one of your best capes cleaned and ready for that. I'd better go finish it up. Want you to look your best!"

It made him feel worse hearing his friend respond so helpfully to his petulance. He watched Roxanne and Minion both rise from the blanket, suddenly wishing he'd taken Roxanne up on her offer. "You're right," she answered. "I need a shower, and then I'm heading to bed."

_At least it'll be my bed_, he thought.

* * *

><p>Outside the room he could hear them chatting and laughing again as they said goodnight. Roxanne had grown close to his fishy friend in the past few days, and it appeared that he had readily accepted her too. <em>After all that guff he gave me about it not being a good idea to pursue her and never getting the girl.<em> He frowned, annoyed with himself for feeling the way he did, and knowing deep down that Minion had only been looking out for his best interests at the time. His thoughts were in turmoil as Roxanne walked into the lamp lit room in her robe, still smiling, hair damp, and saw him sitting on the bed in his pajamas, brooding and glaring at his feet, their disagreement heavy on his mind.

_He's certainly in a bad mood. He's probably still upset with me about the interview. Or about Tom's articles. Maybe I've just let him jump back into everything too soon. He's barely had enough time to recover._ The sheer amount of change he'd had to deal with in the past week would have overwhelmed most people. "You look really tired. I think maybe you've overdone it today." She walked over to the other side of the bed and crawled across it to sit behind him, placing her hands on his shoulders. Fingertips gently kneading his taut muscles, she commented, "All the changes you're going through… maybe you needed more time to recuperate. David will probably give me hell for letting you go out and work so hard already." She asked gently, "Are you all right?"

"Mmm."

"Sorry about you not being able to find us when you got back."

He was about to complain again about Minion's lack of notification and changed his mind. "It's all right. As long as you're safe."

Massaging more slowly, she mentioned, "I looked at the recording you gave me." When he didn't answer, she added, "I think we can use that to discredit a lot of what Tom's been spouting. But, listen… no more illegal stuff! You have to-"

"Come on, Roxanne. It wasn't! Richard was right there too and-"

"Ok, ok. But you have to think of how a hero should act."

He rolled his eyes. "How a hero should act. This is the way _I_ act! This is how I work!" Fully frustrated, his big blue head dropped into his hands. "I'm trying to be what you want me to be, but…" For a moment he wondered why she couldn't accept him as he was, but just as quickly he knew that surely that was asking the impossible. She deserved better than to be with a bad boy and obviously she wanted better. He just had to try harder to change.

Roxanne watched him with concern, feeling guilty for razzing him about his methods. After all, if he had worked under the approving eye of the warden, who was she to complain? _I'm trying to be what you want me to be… why does that sound so wrong?_ _Here I am giving him a hard time again after upsetting him at the interview today too. He's going to end up permanently soured on reporters_.

"Megs… Are you still upset with me? About the interview?"

"No," he answered immediately, reaching up to put his hand over her fingers at his shoulder. "I'm not upset with you. I'm…" he frowned, his mouth becoming a tight line as he glanced aside uncomfortably. "I'm jealous."

She blinked. "Jealous? What are you jealous of?"

"Minion."

His admission stopped her hands altogether. "What? Megamind, that's crazy. Why are you jealous of Minion?" she asked in disbelief, watching him turn around on the bed to face her.

"He's… well, he has it so easy!" He gestured with a roll of his shoulders and a wave of frustration. "You two have gotten along well together from the beginning. Even when we were bad! And now, after staying with me here and… despite the way we've connected with each other, we argued." She realized that he had never observed couples have disagreements as a normal part of a relationship."Then I find you both star gazing." A huff escaped her as though she couldn't believe what he'd said, and he realized it sounded like an accusation. "And I wish I'd sat down up there with you after all. I'm tired and cranky and I got nothing at the end of the day, but Minion got to be with you."

As she sat back in surprise, he knew his feelings were childish, but he pouted darkly, his jade eyes darting from the bed to her and down again. "Sometimes I think you like him better than you like me. And who could blame you?" His frown cleared to a look of mild sorrow. "Who can resist that cute face, and I know that technically he was the one who saved you from the tower falling, and-"

He stopped suddenly as Roxanne got off the bed and walked to the door. _Great. Screwed up again. I can't believe how stupid that sounded. Why can't I keep my big mouth shut? And now she probably thinks… I'm... _As she closed it and he heard the lock click, the scowl cleared from his face. "What are you doing?" he asked as she turned and leaned against the door to look at him for a moment before slowly walking back to the bed.

Holding his gaze, she gently pushed him back to recline against the pillows, then climbed on top of him to settle herself on his lap, straddling his legs. She began to methodically unbutton his shirt. "I want to show you," she murmured, pushing her hair back behind her ear with a coy glance, "exactly how much you _don't_ have to be jealous of Minion."

_Oh my…._

* * *

><p>"Lights out!"<p>

Hal stared at the ceiling as the guard passed by. Once the sound of footsteps died away, he levitated a few inches above the bed and smirked as he floated sideways, righted himself, and landed lightly on his feet. _Even better than last time_. Smugly, he wrapped a hand around one of the bars of his cell and pulled. Nothing happened. The smile disappeared from his face as he tugged again, this time feeling the metal begin to give. _Stupid powers… keep coming and going_. Briefly he wondered if he should wait to break out until they had returned completely, but he dismissed the idea again quickly. The intervals of powerlessness were getting smaller and smaller. _Can't wait to see the look on her face…_

* * *

><p>Roxanne didn't appear nervous at all as his blue hands stole around her hips, molding to their shape, cradling them. He watched her calmly unfasten each button. <em>Can I… participate in this or am I supposed to just sit back and… <em>A warm feeling of hopefulness spread through him when she looked up with a shy smile, and his fingers stole up to pull at the sash of her robe, the front of which was already parted high enough over her thighs that he could see she had only dressed in her lingerie after her shower. The glimpse he had looked satiny and pink. What had she been thinking? The implications to her choice to not get dressed again made him quiver. He wished his hands wouldn't fumble at the knot the way they were. But as she undid the last button of his shirt and he pushed aside the sides of her robe, he realized she hadn't put _all_ of her lingerie back on. "Oh!" His first reaction was to quickly cover her again.

Roxanne nearly laughed as she leaned forward to kiss him. "You're allowed to look." She kissed him again more slowly. Her lips were so warm and her breath ever warmer as she whispered, "And touch."

His brain finally engaged, letting him press his lips to hers as she pushed the hazard sign speckled shirt away from his shoulders while he pulled his arms out of the sleeves. He was still shaking the last cuff off as her hands glided over his smooth, bare chest, flitting over his nipples before sliding around his shoulders. Slow, tender kisses all around his mouth and down his chin left him breathing harder. It certainly didn't take much effort on her part to bring him completely under her control. Slipping his hands inside her robe, he found her skin still hot from her shower and unbelievably silky under his fingers that followed the curve at her waist around and up her back. He pulled her closer, his arms pushing the sides of her robe aside so those full breasts he'd glimpsed were bared and pressed against his blue chest. Slowly she pulled away from his mouth to look into his eyes with a slightly crooked smile. "Minion's not getting any of this."

He gazed back at her, wondering if his heart was pounding hard enough that she could feel it too. "God, I hope not. That would be really awkward."

Roxanne stifled a giggle, and he could feel the smile on her lips as she rubbed her nose along his. "… just you." Her lips lingered on his, brushing lightly, kissing him gently as one hand trailed down the muscles in his bicep, pushing his arm down to rest around her hips while she caressed over his head then stroked up and down the back of his neck, up and down slowly. Her kisses became more insistent, pressing harder, catching at his lips with her teeth, asking him to answer back. He crushed his mouth against hers and squeezed her closer, drawing them together more tightly. As she cradled his face in one hand and sucked at his lip, he moaned a soft 'oh' of ecstasy, hardly believing what was happening. _I guess it paid to be brave enough to tell her finally._ He wondered when he might hear those magic words from her.

Roxanne could admit she'd always been curious about certain aspects of his anatomy even as far back as when she'd been in complete denial about her attraction to him. Some of the more crass authors of the books she'd studied with Bernard had speculated freely with wild theories as usual about alien genitalia, but she recalled he'd done nothing more than laugh dismissively at them, offering no corrections. Obviously he was more human-like than not, but the oversized cranium and blue skin had her imagination piqued about what else on his body might be unique. Their making out had never gone too far before her conscience goaded her to stop giving him more of a workout than he was probably well enough for. _Seriously, David? At least a week? _But when the playful wrestling that morning had ended with her pinned beneath him, she was well aware that there was _something_ very familiar about him. And now it was more obvious than ever, enclosed tightly between them, pressing against the inside of her leg. She was more than ready to break through the last barriers now.

He broke away from her kiss, eyes closed, breathing her name against her cheek. One hand made its way up her side under the robe, barely daring to explore the soft, creamy curve at the side of her breast until he felt her hand on his, guiding it forward, pressing herself into his hot palm as she breathed heavily against his temple in anticipation. His visceral reaction to the tense skin under his fingers pushed him beyond hesitancy, tracing around the shape that he'd been keenly aware of for a long time, teased with glimpses and outlines accentuated by her hands tied behind her that has been burned into his memory and excited his imagination too much. And now she was encouraging him to touch, squeeze. It was intoxicating, the certainty that she wanted him. He'd thought no one would ever want him. His other hand stroked up her side, cupping the heavy fullness there before rubbing his thumbs over her tightened nipples simultaneously. Her response was encouraging. He did it again and then again slower, listening to her throaty sighs becoming more drawn out as her head tipped back and her chest heaved, driving him to act without thinking, simply responding with more of whatever seemed to please her. Her legs tensed around his thighs as she slowly squirmed.

"Megamind…" Supporting her back on his hands, he pressed her backward slightly, brought his mouth down to her body, nearly overwhelmed with the desire to get closer… to claim all of her as his own. As his tongue dragged up between her breasts, tasting her skin slightly salty with sweat, and pressed a kiss where her heart was, he heard her moan, felt her shiver. Slowly he licked at a nipple, flicking it with the tip of his tongue, feeling her clutch at him and draw in her breath sharply. Reaching an arm around her hips again, he opened his legs and pulled her hard against him, but then paused, waiting for her reaction, her permission. The throbbing that pulsed between them made him realize a hard truth. "Roxanne… I can't…"

She quickly looked up at him and gasped, "Yes, you can. Whatever you want."

"No, I mean… " He hated to say it, but even more he didn't want her to be disappointed. "I won't be able to last." It wasn't that he wanted to please himself and leave her wanting, but there was simply no way he could hold back long enough to make love to her the way she deserved this first time. She suddenly sat up and thrust her hips slowly forward as his fingers grasped at her.

"This is just for you." Hands at his shoulders, she rocked forward on him again with a kiss, then again, and slowly rubbed side to side. His hardness excited her, and she reached down between them to tease a finger along the inside of his waistband, back and forth, her fingertip grazing over the tip of his erection as though by accident. She smiled hearing him growl deep in his chest as she touched him for the first time.

It was happening too fast. He wanted to slow down his reactions, to whisper to her and kiss her and take his time, but the throbbing and aching and the pounding in his ears from his wildly beating heart were threatening to take over completely. The scent of her neck and hair made his head spin and the breath catch in his throat. He sucked at her skin, groaning as his hands followed the movement of her hips, urging her. Her lips grazed over his wide forehead and she kept grinding against the incredible aching tension in his lap until he thought he'd cry out loud. Only the longing to hear her answer the words he'd said to her before kept him from letting go… then Roxanne was leaning back, finger hooked on the edge of his pants, beginning to pull them down.

"What made you change your mind?" The words tumbled out in a rush. "Why now?"

"Because," she answered gently, "I wanted to thank you." She rubbed her mouth against his lips before kissing him. "For saving my life. And you seem to need it today."

It took a moment for her words to register, but his eyes opened wider and his arms tightened around her. "To… thank me?"

She noticed the change in his demeanor and stopped to look at him. "For saving my life. _You_ saved my life. Minion helped, but…" Noticing the stillness that had come over him, she added, "It just seemed like the right time. What?"

He was staring at her with an expression she couldn't quite identify. "Please don't tell me this is just about thanking me," he pleaded in a low voice.

She felt a pang of uncertainty. Why was he doing this? "What do mean? Shouldn't I thank you? What do you want this to be about?"

His green eyes looked hurt as he said, "I hoped… this was because you love me as much as I love you."

Her heart sank inside her a little knowing what he wanted to hear. But she couldn't make herself to say it without really being sure. And she couldn't believe he was making her feel so… guilty. Especially considering what she was offering him. "Megs… those words don't come easily to me."

He didn't seem to know what to say as they regarded each other for a long moment. "Have I ever… have I said something to make you think you had to do this?"

She frowned in consternation. "No, not at all." A memory pushed its way to the fore of her thoughts. "Although Wayne did," she remarked dryly. Early on he'd made it seem like she owed him for all the rescues and extra attention that helped her career. It seemed to come with the territory; like dealing with jocks in school.

"What? You said were never together!"

She frowned at him. "I never _did_ it! What kind of person do you think I am?"

"But, that's what you're offering _me_ now!"

Roxanne had no answer. The truth was that she wanted to be with him as much as she wanted to thank him for saving her life. "We have chemistry, Megamind. I never did with Wayne."

He still was disturbed. "Roxanne, you told me one night - not so long ago in fact - that chemistry wasn't enough. You said we couldn't have just a physical relationship." He paused, searching her face. "As much as I want to be with you – and I do, so very much – I would never ask you to do this without being sure of how you feel about me." His eyes were begging her for an answer. "Don't you know yet how you feel about me?"

Uncomfortably she shifted to sit on the bed and pulled her robe closer around her, one leg still lying over his. "Everything has been happening so fast. I'm still confused sometimes about what I should expect and what we're doing and… I just…"

He pressed her, reaching to hold her hand, recalling her words in the restaurant and hoping that by reminding her of them, she would realize she knew him better than she thought. "You said you know people by their actions. You've been laying me bare for the last three weeks, and you still think you don't know who I am? What do my actions tell you about me?" He pulled her hand down to cover his abdominal muscles, and looking down, she was shocked to see so much bruising still faintly visible there. A tangible reminder of what he'd done… evidence that he would risk his life for hers.

"What about when you lied to me about being Bernard?" The words seemed to come out of nowhere, and she looked back up at him. "You broke my trust." She hated them as soon as she said them, seeing his shoulders slump. His Adam's apple bobbed as he swallowed hard.

"I'm sorry." The desperate hushed words came from deep inside him. "I know I hurt you. I guess I can't be surprised you're afraid that I'll hurt you again."

She shook her head with a frown. "No. No, I've never been afraid of you." It was what she'd always told herself but now she wavered. _Am I? What is wrong with me? Why am I holding back_? She'd always held back – when he had come to her room, when she was tied up and kissing him. Thinking she couldn't be with a villain had been her shield, her excuse, protecting her from taking the risk. She had limited herself. He wasn't the problem at all, and having her excuses stripped away now irritated her. "I can't believe_ this _is turning out to be a problem! I figured sex would come pretty easily for us," she pouted.

He bridled, frowning a little. "When I thought it was going to happen for the right reasons, it wasn't a problem. I don't want you to 'thank' me though. And I don't want you to dangle yourself like a carrot to try to change me. Don't do that, Roxanne."

She raised an eyebrow at him. _The bad boy wants sex to be about love._ "It's hard to believe _you _are lecturing me about something like this."

That stung. Hadn't she always claimed she didn't think he was really evil? "So you figured I wouldn't have a problem with casual sex? Just getting screwed as a reward of some kind? Well, I do mind." His green eyes bored into her, and she felt ashamed of her assumptions. "I would put my life on the line for you again in a heartbeat… but I can't ask you to do this if you might regret it later. I never want to make you regret being with me again."

A wrinkle appeared between her brows. "What do you mean 'again'?"

He paused, feeling his heart skip a beat. "The night you found out I was Bernard…" He stopped and sighed, his eyes darting away before resting on hers again. "I was worried about you. You were so upset. I wanted to talk to you and explain everything and so I followed you home." The haunted look in his eyes told her what he must have heard. "I _never_ want to make you cry like that again."

Her tension and irritation melted into the painful remembrance of that night. He had heard it, all her angry words about him. Resting her hands softly alongside his shattered face, she wanted to tell him she'd forgiven and forgotten it all, but she recognized the truth. She hadn't yet moved beyond that hurt. He pulled her hands down again gently. "We can't be together if you're not sure. No matter how much I want you." He reached up to touch her hair, brushing it aside, his fingers trailing around her ear to the back of her neck. "And I do want you. I do love you. Even if you don't love me back." He leaned forward to kiss her softly, then looked from her lips to her eyes and kissed her more passionately. There seemed to be a finality to his actions. A rush of insecurity clutched at her. She wanted to pull him closer – to tempt him to rethink declining her offer - but he stood up determinedly, looked at her a moment, and walked away.

"Where are you going?"

"Just out," he answered without looking back, closing the door behind him.

* * *

><p>"You mean… he actually said no?" Wayne stood looking down at his guest incredulously.<p>

"Yeah."

"He had you _right there_," his open hands gripped two imaginary round shapes in the air in front of him, "and he said no."

"Yes, Wayne. That's what I said."

His eyebrows shot up and his hands dropped again. "Wow. Well, he's a better man than I am."

"I already knew that," Roxanne remarked sarcastically.

He fixed her with a steady eye before asking solemnly. "So what are you trying to remake him for?"

Wayne, the late Metro Man aka Music Man, had been startled to hear a quiet knock at the door to his underground apartment so late, but he was even more surprised once he opened it to see Roxanne standing there looking like she was about to cry. Inviting her in, she immediately began to spill her guts. About everything from how she had dated Megamind in disguise and the blow up of finding out about it to explaining what happened around their on-screen fight, stopping just shy of telling him about their very off-screen problem too.

"Am I wrong?" her voice quavered.

"Uhhh, well…" Pouring her another generous glass of white wine, he considered how best to approach her question.

"I want to _help_ him. I mean I really want him to be successful and accepted by everybody and finally have the life he deserves."

He handed her the refill and settled onto the couch, holding the stem of his own glass. Taking an overly large gulp, he asked hoarsely, "What's wrong with the way he is?"

The threat of tears dried up as Roxanne looked at him. "There's really nothing 'wrong' with the way he is. It's just… he's been thinking in villain mode for so long. He has to start thinking and, you know, acting like a hero."

"How, exactly?"

"What do you mean?"

"What is it about him that isn't heroic?"

"Well… for instance, the way he got the scoop on Tom. He stole Tom's identity and then fooled Hal into talking to him because Hal thought he really was Tom."

"Yeah, so?"

"It's… that's not fair! It's too devious to be heroic. He has to stop being so sneaky."

"Sneaky works. Cops and detectives and reporters," he looked at her pointedly, "do it all the time!" Wayne giggled to himself a little. "You know… when I was coming to rescue you, I always used to sneak in and listen to what you guys were talking about before I'd make my big entrance." He laughed at the memory and noted Roxanne's surprise. "It helped me know what to expect! Plus," he added, "a few times I was pretty darn sure I heard the two of you doing a little flirting…"

She opened her mouth to protest, but decided to take a sip of her wine instead followed by several more as she pondered his words until she was surprised to find the glass was empty again.

They sat in silence, Wayne letting her digest her thoughts before commenting, "There isn't one right way to be a hero, Roxanne. I mean, do you really want him to be like me?"

She paused before admitting, "No offense… but no, not really."

He sighed. She never had been interested in him, but he supposed he was used to it now. "Of course you don't. You fell in love with Megamind just the way he is."

Tears welled in Roxanne's eyes. Wayne prattled on about the two of them being just right for each other, both determined and resourceful people enjoying the challenges the other one presented, and that he'd often wondered what it would take for them to finally get together, even though he hadn't been sure exactly how that would happen. "Nothing to stand in your way now, is there?"

She hiccupped a small sob. "Just me."

He'd thought her silence had just been reticence to talk about their intimate affairs, taking that as a good sign. Confounded, he observed a slow tear run down her cheek before she brushed it roughly away. He took her glass and stood up, going to get them both another round from the well lit bar. He never had been comfortable dealing with tears. If you had a rescue where somebody was upset, you dropped them off in the arms of their family or friends, smiled at their thanks, and flew off - fast. "So… I take it things aren't going well?"

It was true that Roxanne usually would not have considered herself a kiss and tell kind of person, but the alcohol had loosened her tongue considerably and she was wrapping up a rather thorough description of what had happened that very evening before she thought better of it. _Too late now_.

Wayne's mouth was practically hanging open at the idea that his little buddy whom he realized practically worshiped the spunky reporter and whom he suspected had not yet gotten laid would have voluntarily walked away from this woman he himself had never been able to seduce. She assured him that was really what had happened. Then seeing him use his hands to emphasize his amazement at what Megamind had turned down, she rolled her eyes.

"Yes, Wayne. That's what I said."

His eyebrows shot up and his hands dropped again. _ He wants it to be about love that bad?_ " Wow. Well, he's a better man than I am."

"I already knew that," Roxanne remarked sarcastically, taking another gulp at her wine before she heard him ask the next question. She blinked. _He is a better man than Wayne. And that didn't just happen since Hal went to jail_.

Then he added, "Why would you want to change this guy you're in love with?"

_What is it with these two and all this talk about being in love? Are heroes always romantics at heart_? She knew it only irked her because of her uncertainty. Slowly shaking her head, she wondered aloud, "What I want to know is, who _is_ this guy you keep insisting I am in love with? Yeah, ok, I was attracted to him when he was still bad. Really attracted. I don't even deny that anymore. But it was when he was pretending to be _Bernard_ that I really took it to the next level and thought I wanted to try making something work. And now he's in this limbo of good guy and bad guy and… I'd just like to _define_ him before I decide that I love him!"

One brow lifted over Wayne's baby blues. "I think you're the one who's in limbo, Roxanne. Megamind knows who he is. He's always been consistent. If he's not now, it's because he's trying so hard to please you. You and I know he's never been really evil. He always honored those unspoken rules we had. He always kept you safe… He won't even have sex with you unless it's for the right reasons! What more do you want?"

"Why…" she interrupted morosely, "why did he have to pretend to be Bernard?"

Wayne looked at her. "Maybe because he was trying to be what you wanted even then… and you didn't know what that was yourself."

She thought about him coming to her at night._ He wanted to be with me as himself, but I kept acting like I wanted Bernard. So he couldn't stop being Bernard. I made that happen._ Miserably she drained her glass again. "Still can't believe he was getting snotty with me when I said I wanted to thank him."

"Yeah! Neither can I!" he agreed. "You've always used your feminine charms to get what you want, and he didn't seem to mind before."

"What! When did I?" she demanded indignantly.

Well, let's see," he paused thoughtfully, "How about the way you dressed when you were first covering our battles? Flirting a little, trying to make sure you got my attention?" Seeing her getting ready to protest, he continued, "And you didn't mind the whole city thinking we were… hot and heavy."

"Neither did you!"

"True," he conceded. "You have to admit, you knew what you were doing when you toyed with him. Led him on a little and then put him down. Kept him interested but kept him in his place. You were playing the part just right, don't feel too bad. And I've got a sneaking suspicion he liked your sass. But the thing is, he's in deep now. And that superficial stuff won't cut it. You ever fall for somebody hard and then find out they're not on the same level with you? It's even worse if you slept with them…. finding out later."

Suddenly she understood why it had been so important to him. The wine was making it harder to think straight, but she got Wayne's message clearly. Her head felt almost as heavy as her heart now. She slumped over on the couch, thinking she would rest her eyes for a second.

"Oooh no. You're not staying here."

Her eyelids would barely open again. "Uh! Thanks a lot!"

"Come on," he said pulling her back up by the hand, making the room spin. "I'll take you back home."

"But… what do I do, Wayne?"

He sighed. "Why don't you just tell him you love him."

She huffed, "Fat lot of good you are."

"Yeah, well…" he picked her up and headed out the door. "You asked."

* * *

><p>"Sir! I thought you'd gone to bed." Megamind was sitting at the bank of monitors when Minion walked through, carrying the cape he'd been working on.<p>

"I can't do it, Minion." The de-gun spun around his finger in lazy circles.

"Oh no." The fish was getting very good at recognizing the signs. _What were they fighting about now?_ "Can't do what?"

"I can't change who I am any more than I can make myself take the filigree off this gun."

"Why would you want to do that? Why should you change?"

"I think Roxanne wants me to."

"Oh, now. She's not trying to change you, Sir. She's just…" Minion frowned. Was that what she was trying to do? The more he thought, the more unsure he was. "I mean... why would she want that? You're already one of the good guys. And she was the first one who really recognized what's inside you. Obviously! Enough that she put herself in danger to call you out! So why would she want to change you now?"

"What do you mean she put herself in danger?" Megamind was looking at him, genuinely confused, and Minion realized he'd never heard exactly how Roxanne ended up in Hal's clutches at the top of Metro Tower. As he told him about seeing her in the news van driving downtown, searching for Titan when everyone else was leaving, his boss's green eyes were wide as he sat listening. _She did it on purpose? After we heard that maniac tear her apartment up... she knew he was looking for her... and she still made herself the bait to show me I could be a hero._ No one had ever believed in him like that. _What had made her so certain I'd come? _

He looked his favorite weapon faintly glowing in his blue hand, remembering how Roxanne had admired it and wanted to know more about it. She'd read a lot into what she saw there, but mostly she had been right. The revolver had been with him since the beginning; it was practically part of him. He even slept with it by his bed. His own binky, the last gift his parents had given him, had powered it in its first simple iteration. As he'd grown, so had the gun, in function and in the decorative work he added like his own personal signature. It made the piece more than just another one of the things he used in his work. He could remember exactly when he'd added each of the settings, even the de-coupage function for Minion. To remove that filigree or any of the settings would be to lose a part of himself. And he couldn't make himself do that any more than he could erase his past or deny who he was. So what did she want? It didn't make sense. Not when she had believed in him enough to gamble her life on it. "Even though I may change what I do, I have to be who I am."

"Of course you do." Minion put a hand gently on his shoulder. It was difficult to offer his friend reassuring gestures from a cold, metal body, but he still tried. "And I really think that Ms Ritchie will understand that too. Give it time. And remember, Sir… she didn't want Metro Man."

Thoughtfully, Megamind spun the selector chamber on the gun without answering.

* * *

><p>Crawling into bed, Roxanne knew there was a reason she shouldn't be at home alone, but she was just too tired and woozy from Wayne's Metro Man-sized wine portions to care much or think about it very hard. She closed her eyes, but thoughts of being in a different bed kept sleep just out of reach. The sheets were cold against her arms and legs and seemed to be taking a long time to warm. The bed felt too big. The room seemed too quiet... until she thought she heard something. She glanced over at the door. Holding herself as still as possible, her own heartbeat thudded in her ears. "Megamind?"<p>

There was no answer. The hair on the back of her neck prickled, and she suddenly wished she'd had Wayne take her back to the Lair instead of to her own apartment. _That was stupid, I told him I'd stay there._ Maybe it was only her eyes straining to see in the dark, playing tricks on her, but there seemed to a glow barely brightening the doorway. Was someone in the hall? "Megamind, if that's you, just come in. There's no trip wire this time."

A small round form floated into the room, making her catch her breath. "Oh, Pinky… I forgot." The bot hovered over to the bed, awaiting instructions. "Come here," Roxanne said, holding out a hand. As it glided forward, she put her hand on its dome and coaxed it to rest on the bed beside her. "I know you'd rather be on the fridge, but I need you here." Obediently Pinky settled, and Roxanne sighed, lying down beside her_._ Stroking her fingers over the round smooth surface, she thought of touching smooth blue skin instead. "I miss him… I don't really want to sleep alone." Contemplating the little cyborg, she wondered how she could find such comfort in something that was just an electrically charged metal thing, thinking it ought to seem cold and impersonal. _She's part of him though, his creation_. As her eyelids became heavier and heavier, her mind wandered… through the Lair with all its familiar trappings, past vivid memories of Megamind gleeful in his work as a villain, the moment she realized how much she was attracted to him, the excitement that always rose up in her at seeing him proudly debut some new weapon or invention… those memories of him were familiar and soothing and seemed so uncomplicated compared to what was happening now. _And I thought this would be easier..._ With Pinky's quiet hum almost imperceptible under her fingers, she finally fell asleep.

* * *

><p>Richard Doyle stood watching as one of his men reached far under the mattress and pulled out several small, mangled items. A couple of them were so altered, it was difficult to tell what they had once been. "Is that a toothbrush?"<p>

"Used to be." Warden Doyle frowned.

"It looks melted!" a second guard standing behind him blurted out in amazement.

"Laser vision, you dolt." With a scowl that discouraged any more comments, he turned on his heel, hardly bothering to glance again at the damage to the bars of the cell, and strode down the corridor purposefully.

* * *

><p>Cell phones could be useful things after all, he realized, as primitive as they seemed compared to some of his inventions. As he laid down a tool to answer the insistent deedling in his pocket, the sense of satisfaction he felt gazing down at the device he was creating caused him to miss noticing the caller ID or even wonder who might be trying to reach him at such an hour. "Ollo?" he answered, holding the new gun up to examine the work he'd done so far.<p>

"He's out."

His face fell, sober as the meaning of the words registered. "Did you see him leave?"

"No. Last patrol was thirty minutes ago. That's when they noticed."

A cold wave passed through him. _Not already._ "Thanks for letting me know."

The warden felt he'd failed somehow. "I'm sorry."

His mind was already racing over calculations, strategizing, planning. "I'll be around tomorrow to finish that cell."

"You got a plan?"

There was silence on the line. "He'll be back inside by tomorrow night."

Warden Doyle smiled grimly. "If there's anything I can do..." The line went dead, but Richard wasn't concerned about that. Megamind was never one to mess around wasting time.

* * *

><p>As he walked quickly back to his room, their aborted attempt at lovemaking rushed back into his thoughts from where he'd mentally buried it. Awkward as it might be, she was going to have to stay with him now until Hal was put away again. He hoped his cocky declaration that he'd have the menace behind bars again in less than 24 hours proved to be correct, but in any case, Roxanne would need round the clock protection. Outside the door to his room, he stopped and took a deep breath. She was probably already asleep; it was very late. Pushing the door open slowly, he peeked in to reassure himself she was ok, and his heart nearly stopped. The bed was empty.<p> 


	30. To Serve and Protect

_Thank you once again to many people - Nora, for her inspirations and humor that always seem to find their way in these chapters like a sprinkle of glitter, making it that much better. And mommy2caitlyn for giving Megamind one of his lines here. She said it to me the other day, and I thought, "That is totally something he would say!" She generously said I could use it. And thank you, reviewers! Oh, how I love to hear from you, even though last round I didn't get a chance to reply. The ones who always review, and the ones who are new and drop just a line or two... thank you sincerely! I would thank my family for patiently dealing with me being distracted and neglectful while I write, but they're not reading this. Ah well... :) _

_Sorry for any mistakes here! Working on it._

* * *

><p>"WHERE IS SHE, MINION?"<p>

While the flustered fish rapidly set the monitors to scan strategic areas of the city for Hal's presence, he was aware of his friend shouting as he ran down the corridor and began suiting up frantically. Even the valet bots weren't quick enough for him this time. He'd never seen him so upset. "I don't know! I didn't even know she left!"

_Have to find her. Hal might already have her._ But he stopped suddenly as he wondered, _why did she leave? Is she that angry with me?_ "Maybe she doesn't want me to find her," he wondered to himself and stood staring for several seconds before giving himself a little shake. "Doesn't matter. I _have_ to make sure she's all right."

"Well, the good news is Pinky isn't here, so that probably means she's still ok. I'm betting she's just back at her apartment and doesn't know anything about it."

"True… yes…probably." He reminded himself that it never paid to act rashly, but then his eyes widened. "Unless he did something to Pinky." Grabbing the keys, he dashed to the car and jumped in, roaring off with tires squealing.

Minion stood by the monitor bank and cringed watching the Hudson barely make the turn out of the building._ What if something has happened to her? _The thought of what it would do to his smitten blue friend made his blood run cold.

* * *

><p>Fighting back a strong impulse to just blast his way in, he quickly picked the lock on the French doors leading to the balcony, straining to see inside the dark apartment. <em>Still locked – that's a good sign. Might be a trap though.<em> Once inside he drew the de-gun, noticing the front door was still closed. The silence was oppressive. The darkness pressed against his eyeballs and heightened his senses to a painful alertness. He crept to Roxanne's room, thumb rolling the gun's selector to the setting he wanted, scanning around. As he stealthily approached the doorway, he tried to focus instead of wondering what he would do if she wasn't there.

But she was. His breath left him in a whoosh as soon as he saw her asleep in the bed, dark hair feathered over the pillow and one hand resting on Pinky's dome. His heart thudded heavily in his chest, and he felt nearly sick with relief. _Thank you, thank you, thank you… _

Pinky squirmed with delight at seeing her master again, wanting to come to him, but he held up a finger to stop her and pointed at the bed. With one last wiggle, she settled back down. Roxanne's fingers slowly slid from her dome onto the sheet, but she didn't wake.

He leaned back against the wall with a sigh and then slowly sank to the floor, the revolver still in his hands and his eyes fixed on his heart's desire, blissfully unaware.

* * *

><p>Lying under the bulky vehicle, Hal knew he only had a small window of opportunity. He was well aware that the city bus lines stopped running between 2 and 4am, having been accustomed to being up late a lot more before landing the job with KMCP 8 news. His own apartment had been too small to have friends over, and it had always irked him that he either had to pay for a taxi or walk all the way home from a buddy's place every time they got together to play Dungeons and Dragons into those early morning hours. But now he had the chance to create the distraction he wanted to get Megamind out of way. All the buses were conveniently lined up, like they were waiting just for him, and as he slid under the next one in the row with a smirk, directing a beam of laser vision at a sizable tank attached to the underside of the vehicle, he felt quite pleased with his own cleverness. <em>TV shows always show some guy cutting brake lines… Yeah, right. Brake fluid all over? Dead give away! And that won't work on these babies anyway. You gotta use your head to disable air brakes.<em>

* * *

><p>The unexpected sight left her feeling rather confused when she woke before the alarm with a full bladder. <em>Too much wine<em>, she was thinking as she stood up from the bed and suddenly stopped short. Head resting on his knees, the leather-clad figure sat on the floor, back to the wall, holding the de-gun. Perplexed, she walked to over to kneel beside him and gently stroked his arm. "Megs?"

His head lifted quickly, eyes unfocused and heavy with sleepiness. "Hal's out."

That made finding him there less surprising. "Were you sitting there all night?" When he didn't answer, she asked, "Why didn't you get in bed?"

Wearily, he looked at her and croaked, "I can't be that strong, Roxanne."

"Huh!" _You've done pretty well so far!_ She pulled at his arm to help him up. "Come on. You can get a couple hours in before we have to go to City Hall this morning."

"But… Hal-" he protested as he got stiffly to his feet.

"Hal's a coward. Knowing him, if he didn't come here first, he probably left the city already and isn't coming back." The words sounded braver than she felt. Her stomach sank at the realization of just how careless she'd been as she led him to the bed and held the blankets aside while he sat down, shaking his head slightly.

"Can't let my guard down…. Need to stay alert."

She was pulling off his boots. "You need to sleep. How much good are you going to be able to do like this?"

"But -"

"It's still warm in there…" her voice coaxed as she unhooked the cape's clasp, tossing it aside and persuading him to lie down before covering him up. "Go to sleep. I'll keep the gun with me. And Pinky's here." His eyes were already closed as she straightened up and looked down on him. He'd kept watch over her all night, and she hadn't even known she was in danger. Leaning down again, she rubbed her nose along the angle of his cheek, cold from sitting up so long. "You're so sweet," she whispered.

A mild snore answered her, and she smiled and kissed his cheek softly. Then she looked down at the gun in her hand. It was set to de-stroy. A grim prickle of fear made her shiver and reminded her of why she had awakened early.

Coming back into the room, she could see faithful Pinky resting near Megamind's feet. He was restless in his sleep again, just the way he had been when she'd watched him fitfully tossing after his last battle. She looked out the window at the grey light and overcast sky, then at the clock. _Only two hours before we'll need to be up and on our way to City Hall._ She reset the alarm and then, easing down to lie on the bed, inched back until she was snuggled as close to him as she could get, sighing at the pleasure of spooning again. Grabbing his cape, she covered herself with it, catching the scent of the leather tucked under her chin. _Man, I love that smell. It's so him._ She felt his nose nestle into the back of her hair, and his breathing became deeper and slower as he finally relaxed. With a smile, she closed her eyes.

* * *

><p>Wrapping things up in the spacious marble office that had once been crammed full of ill-gotten gain, Megamind stood relaxed, arms folded casually, unapologetically facing the Honorable John Folt, lieutenant governor of the state, who kept checking his watch. Everyone knew this unusual character standing before him and his reputation for harassing the lakeside city. John himself had never taken much interest in the fantastic and rather implausible situation. He personally found Metro City's propensity for attracting residents with preternatural powers annoying, and felt it gained the city and therefore the state a kind of unwanted notoriety, being at most good for tourism. In fact, this whole event he deemed somewhat beneath him, but he'd been called on to preside over the official pardons and whatnot since the governor had been called away to deal with a family emergency on this unusual Thursday morning.<p>

Behind the desk with him stood the mayor, rocking on his heels slightly and looking inordinately happy. No one suspected the rotund little man of owning a considerable collection of superhero comics and being an avid fan of the genre. In fact he had several of his favorite issues stashed in a desk drawer, reading them during his lunch hour as often as not. And here was a story practically ripped from the pages happening in his very own city. He'd readily fawned over Metro Man, the typical super-powered icon, flawless, indestructible, predictably perfect. They'd all idolized and coddled him as seemed to be his due, but Megamind's rise from menace to defender was a twist that excited the balding man beyond reason, even though he found the blue alien rather intimidating.

The chief of police was also present, watching sharply and listening carefully to the proceedings, not entirely convinced that the troublesome blue alien had been fully converted. The warden's opinion held some weight with him, but time would tell.

Last but not least, Sarah Strick, the grey-haired state attorney general, stood near the mayor's glossy desk as well, one manicured hand resting on an impressive stack of official documents and regarding Megamind with more than polite curiosity. If anyone had bothered to ask, she would have readily admitted she'd always found his brash showmanship and propensity for laughing at the most dangerous of situations surprisingly attractive, while in person his devil-may-care attitude and lithe physique aroused in her nearly 60-year-old frame some long-dormant and rather unexpected reactions.

Outside the office a throng of reporters and their camera jockeys milled about, waiting to be admitted. Roxanne had been given permission to take still photographs, but no audio or video recordings were to be made of the event. Behind Megamind stood Minion, Roxanne, Warden Doyle, and much to his surprise, the reclusive Dr. David Morrow, who had all come to speak on his behalf if necessary. It hadn't been necessary though until after all the papers had been signed, the official pardons granted, and agreements drawn up about his role as Metro City's new guardian. The chief of police in particular seemed rather suspicious of his demands to be given free rein as far as the use of non-traditional weaponry and permission to respond to criminal activity as he saw fit, but in the end he agreed, goaded by the mayor who waved a hand dismissively, saying exceptions had to be made in such cases. Metro Man had obviously not been bound by police procedure and the usual limitations of the law, and Megamind would not be either.

The mention of the city's previous defender caused the fascinated attorney general to start from her rapt contemplation of the wiry figure and raise a hand as though suddenly remembering some necessary detail. "Oh yes," she ground out in a voice roughened by years of smoking, "I'm afraid that is something that must be discussed – the death of Metro Man." She inclined her head toward the new celebrity. "By your hand. I'm afraid the state must bring a charge of murder."

Roxanne has been quiet, but she spoke up now, stepping forward in her typical crisp, down-to-business skirt and blouse. "There was no murder."

Every eye turned to her with the exception of Dr. Morrow, who was closely examining a photo on the wall as though there was nothing more important in the room at all. The older woman raised a skeptical eyebrow. "My dear young lady, you were there at the time. That enormous skeleton landed at your feet. How can you propose such a thing?"

"There was no murder because there was no death," Roxanne reiterated, standing near Megamind's shoulder.

Behind her David muttered scathingly, "Of course he's not dead."

"Has the family filed charges?" Roxanne asked, knowing the answer.

With a frown, the older lady admitted, "No, they haven't, but that hardly proves there was no crime."

Roxanne and Megamind shared a silent look. She knew instinctively that he wouldn't give up their friend who had preferred to leave his former life behind. It was a typical guy thing. Minion glanced at them both and shrugged. "I'm asking for a reprieve then. Would you grant him more time before you take action on this? I was there, and I know what happened. But… all I can say for now is that you have my assurance that this matter will be cleared up to your satisfaction within 48 hours." Even Megamind looked surprised at her pronouncement.

"Well… I suppose we could delay. But if this resolution you promise doesn't appear, I'll be forced to take action immediately. Murder is a serious matter that can not be overlooked even for… well, someone who has so obviously turned their life around since."

Megamind wasn't sure what it was Roxanne knew that he didn't, but when he looked at her again, she nodded. "We understand that."

"I have a question!" Dr. Morrow suddenly asked brightly as he turned away from the wall and, casually strolling to the mayor's desk, reached down to flick into action a perpetual motion toy. "What about lawsuits? In the course of his new employment, can you ensure our bright blue friend here won't be subject to litigation from any Tom, Dick, Harry, Jane, Sue, or Mary who decides to view him with an eye to an instant payout, five minutes of fame, or simply decides to take umbrage to any of his efforts to 'help' them?"

"That is a good question," the attorney general answered, watching him start and stop the small device, "and, unfortunately, the answer is that the public's right to recourse under the law cannot be revoked. Even in the case of super-intelligent beings dedicated to defending entire cities." She turned an apologetic eye on the admirable alien. "I would add that you should probably be aware that you are in more danger of such frivolous lawsuits popping up now than you were in your role as a villain. However, we will hope that common sense prevails, and the courts should be well aware of your special status in such cases."

"Don't count on it," David growled as he leaned toward the reporter and her hero, fixing each of them in turn with a meaningful look before walking around behind them again. "Just keep that little detail in mind, you two."

The mayor was more than ready to leave behind all the serious talk. "Good then! A reprieve is just what we need to be able to fully enjoy the dedication on Saturday. We'll be having an event coordinator to meet with you tomorrow." He grinned widely. "I must say you've done an excellent job on the statue, Megamind. Ah hem! I was privy to a look behind the curtain! Metro Tower is going to be finished today too, I understand."

"Yes, if everything goes according to schedule, it will be done soon. About the museum…" The new defender thought it seemed like a good time to broach a subject he'd been pondering since the night before. "I'd like permission to make some changes inside… uh, but first, I need Ms Ritchie to leave the room."

Roxanne was startled. _Leave the room? What's this about?_ About to question him, she felt a hand at her elbow. "Just come with me, please. I wanted to have a word with you anyway." Dr. Morrow's vise-like grip brooked no dissent, guiding her out a side door and into a smaller empty chamber adjoining the mayor's office. Once inside, he closed the door behind them and turned to her with his usual mirthless smile. "Soo... how's everything going?"

She looked him over, somewhat annoyed about missing whatever was going on in the other room. "_That's_ what you wanted to have a word with me about?"

His smile widened. "Spunky, aren't you? I'm sure he likes that. I knew you were a good match for him," he praised himself smugly. "And you need to be to have survived everything you've been through so far." David folded his arms. "No, I didn't just bring you in here to pass the time while Megs gets permission to do something he doesn't want you to know about. I really would like to know how things are going. Did you remember the _particular_ instructions I gave you both?"

Roxanne blushed slightly. She remembered all too well and was glad she could honestly say they hadn't been together yet, although it had been a close call. "Yes, I remembered, and I did my best to make him rest. Obviously he's not doing too badly."

"Looks pretty tired today," he groused skeptically, raising an eyebrow at her. "Have you been keeping him up?"

_Oh my gosh! He is so rude! _Roxanne scowled and yet felt a strange urge to laugh. _ Oh, I can keep him up… with one finger._ Biting back her sarcasm with a tight smile, she answered, "No… we have not slept together. Well, we have! But it was actually sleeping! Not… you know."

"Yes. Sex. I know. I am a doctor." He paused. "Anything you want to ask me about that?"

Rolling her eyes, she snorted at his directness. "Why? Have _you_ had sex with him?" she shot back.

"Oh ho! Easy there, miss!" He actually seemed amused. "Despite my apparent insensitivity, which I realize is off-putting to your average citizen – which of course, _you are not_ - I am_ trying_ to help you. Catch up, and toughen up. I simply don't have the time nor the patience for tact."

Roxanne sighed. "All right. No, I don't have any questions about sleeping with him."

"Yes, you do. But since you've decided to lie, it's obvious you aren't ready to ask them yet." She huffed and threw her hands up, but he abruptly changed the subject, as was his wont. "And how are you feeling?"

"Fine!"

"A little out of sorts, aren't you?"

"You just said I was spunky, and that that was a good thing!"

His expression softened. "The two of you have been arguing."

Trying to decide how to answer, she found herself relaxing under his gaze, his eyes piercing but genuinely kind. _How does he do that?_ she thought, suddenly feeling an urge to unburden herself to him completely. Instead she pressed her lips together and said nothing.

"You're not ready to talk about that either. Never mind! I already know what it's about. I have two things to say to you, Roxanne. Number one, Megamind is a man, and he will make the silly mistakes all of us men make when it comes to women. The important thing to know is that he's not doing it maliciously. You can trust him."

She dropped his gaze, somehow certain that he was right. _Why do I always seem to believe him?_ He had watched Megamind grow up though. There was probably no one who knew him better with the exception of the warden.

"The other thing I have to say is something you should have thought of already yourself." Looking directly at him again, she frowned. "Megamind is still… uncivilized, in a sense. He works on instinct and lives by his wits. And he _needs_ to … if you want him to survive." Staring at her harder, he demanded, "You do want him to survive, don't you."

"Of course." _How could he even ask that?_

"Then don't ask him to second guess himself. He's got to be free to do what he does best. Think about it. In his line of work, hesitation leads to getting hurt… or ending up dead."

Roxanne blinked at the bald statement, its harsh reality feeling like a smack in the face. "Have you always been like this? Have you always talked to _him_ like this, even when he was just a little boy growing up?" _Hasn't he ever known any softness or kindness from anyone at all?_

A mirthless smile touched David's lips. "Of course. This isn't some show I put on for your benefit."

"Then it's no wonder he is the way he is."

A glimpse of her barb hitting home flickered in his eyes before he waved a hand with a look of disdain. "I'm not going to apologize for not being a soft-hearted motherly type. I'll take what you said as a compliment. Considering how you feel about him. And by the way," he added with a benevolent air, "you've both waited long enough. You have my blessing now."

Gaping at him for a second, Roxanne suddenly burst out laughing. "Go to hell," she answered. The man was so blunt, so eccentric. She was always shocked by him and slightly offended but couldn't help being fascinated and liking him at the same time. She'd felt much the same about Megamind when they'd first met.

The door to the main office opened, and a beaming mayor invited them back inside. The VIPs were gathering up their papers and briefcases, girding themselves for the onslaught of questions and cameras and microphones that waited just outside. Megamind was speaking quietly to Minion. Walking over to him, the attorney general crossed her path and paused, catching her eye, "You're a very lucky woman," she informed her out of the corner of her mouth in her low rasping voice. Then she winked at Roxanne and walked out smartly.

Watching the woman leave and wondering what had made her say such a thing, Roxanne crossed the last few steps to her two friends. "Everything all right?"

Megamind looked at her innocently. "Why wouldn't it be?"

Narrowing her eyes at him, she asked, "Anything you want to tell me?"

He crossed his arms and the green eyes darted aside. "Not… at the moment." Then thinking of her assertion that Wayne's apparent death would soon be cleared up, he pointedly questioned, "Is there something _you_ want to tell _me_?"

"No," she answered. "I think I'll keep my little secret to myself. Then we'll be even."

"Fine," he answered lightly as though it wasn't killing him not to know. "I trust you."

A slow smile grew on each of them as they stared each other down. _I trust you too_. The words popped up in her thoughts unbidden, but she knew it was true. Or at least becoming more true all the time. And maybe she ought to make some headway into letting him know.

"Megamind…" she quietly began when the doors to the office burst open and the impatient crowd waiting outside pushed in, refusing to be put off any longer. A noisy wave of newshounds surged forward and surrounded them, cameras flashing as they pelted the pardoned criminal with questions. The mayor waded into the fray, beaming as he took Megamind's hand in a prolonged gesture of goodwill to give everyone ample opportunity to capture the moment. Roxanne's cameraman hurried to her with a questioning look. _Guess we'll have to catch a moment to ourselves later sometime._ She made her own preparations, and they quickly shot some footage to add to the package she would present on the evening news about Metro City's new defender.

Eventually things began to settle down. The mob broke up and trailed back to their offices, satisfied with having plundered every photo opportunity and recorded in print and on film the ex-con's amusingly facetious comments and typically cocky assurances that he was well and truly reformed, pardoned, back on his game, and ready to assume his new duties. Megamind extracted himself from the final hanger-on and approached Roxanne as she stood conferring with her camera operator about where they might go troll for reactions to use as sound bites. Seeing him wanting a word with her, the man excused himself. "I'll go wait in the van."

"You're headed back to work now?"

"Yep. Lots of prep to do yet so I can have the honor of presenting this story on the news tonight." Her beaming smile showed how pleased she was about it all.

"Ah. So… I guess there's no point in trying to make a case for you hanging out in the Lair today, huh? Can't convince you to lay low?" The look she gave him confirmed it.

"I'm not going to let Hal dictate what I do or don't do."

"No, I didn't really think you would. You never let me stop you either." He paused to regard her quietly. "Except that I had no intention of hurting you, and we can't say the same for him."

"He hasn't been spotted yet, has he?" On the way to the Mayor's office, he'd let her know they were scanning strategic sections of the city, recording and monitoring as much as possible. But knowing Wayne could move fast enough to nearly appear invisible in real time, he had to assume Hal might have figured out how to do the same thing and wasn't sure he would show up on tape anyway. Then together they'd come up with the idea of playing back everything that had been recorded at half speed while a couple brainbots scanned it for signs of the escaped criminal.

"Nothing yet," he admitted, looking down at his watch for alerts. "But it's still early in the day."

"Good. Maybe he really did leave town."

"Right, and maybe I'll spontaneously grow a full head of hair!" As she rolled her eyes, he added more seriously, "Would you take Minion with you?"

"I think he'd be a little bit of a distraction. We're looking for relaxed, candid reactions from people."

Acquiescing to her stubborn independence, he reached behind himself under the cape. "Then… I made something for you… come over here." He guided her over to a quieter part of the room.

_What is with people pulling me aside for private conferences today?_ She wondered. _He made me something? When has he had time to do that?_ Intensely curious, she guessed at various things he might have hidden behind his back. One item in particular came to mind.

"Now, I really would have preferred to give you this a little later, but…" he pulled out a small pistol, in shape and design much like his own de-gun but a much smaller size. "I'd feel a lot better if you had it with you now." He searched her face as she carefully took the faintly glowing weapon and examined it.

"Oh, wow," she murmured and glanced back up at him again. "I thought you might be talking about the Frequent Kidnapping Card. I never expected this."

His eyebrows shot up. "The Frequent Kidnapping Card?"

"Yeah. I was thinking about it last night. I'd kind of like to have that back. As a memento. You know… of the old days?"

A smile lifted the corner of his mouth, and he pointed at her, "The bad old days?"

Reaching up to straighten his collar up a little, she coyly smiled and demurred, "They weren't _that_ bad." Her fingers trailed down the front edge of the collar, catching a little on the leather, and his head was suddenly filled with images he couldn't let himself dwell on. Not here and not now. With an effort he pulled his thoughts back to the present, looking away from her blue eyes down at the gun she held in her other hand.

"I promise I will make you a card to keep." Before she could ask what had happened to the original, he said, "Now. This gun only has one function, dehydrate. And even though I'm not entirely sure how it might affect Hal, since now we know that he's not a complete duplicate of Wayne, I think it will give you some advantage. And it's the safest function. At least until I can give you some training with it. Then we'll see about adding on more." The dehydrate function on his own pistol had never worked on Metro Man, but he had never tried it on Titan. As he pointed out the safety and explained the basics of using it, Roxanne repeated his instructions to herself, hoping she wouldn't forget.

"You know," she mentioned, a little nervous about the very brief crash course she'd just been given, "I'm not licensed for concealed carry."

"Neither am I!" he grinned, but when she gave him another of her patient looks, he assured her, "I've already taken care of that. We're not working outside the law here. Hal was one of the things I mentioned while you were out. The warden and I explained to everyone about our little problem." His concern for her wasn't lost on the officials listening to him demand that she immediately be given permission to defend herself with extraordinary measures due to the immediate risk and the extraordinary powers of the person stalking her. "Don't worry about carrying it and, for heaven's sake, don't hesitate to use it! I know you can." He smirked. "I was quite impressed with how you well you handled mine. But I made this a little smaller. I hope you'll find it fits your hand better." He held her hands around the gun, eyeing how well her fingers could reach, the fit of the grip, mentally noting adjustments he could make in the design to suit her.

"Wait, where am I supposed to carry it?"

He pulled out a slim profile thigh holster and casually suggested, "Up your skirt."

Startled, she stared at him for a moment. Then a smile started at the corner of her mouth, twisting her lips as she slowly asked, "You want me to strap your weapon to my thigh?"

He cleared his throat. "Well! That's probably the best place for it. You could tuck it into the back of your waistband if you were wearing a blazer, but since you aren't… um, your skirt will hide it. If you put it in the right place." Her eyes were burning into him and the knowing smile on her face made him blush, but he held her gaze gamely.

"You're going to have to show me how," she murmured. "I've never done this before."

… _oh, Roxanne… she knows perfectly well what she's doing to me… _ She steered him toward the side room where she'd spoken to Dr. Morrow and closed the door behind them. As he watched her slide her skirt up the side of her leg, exposing a length of smooth skin that brought back those same hot memories, nearly making him drool, he dropped to his knees close beside her, eyes fixed on that sleek limb, judging its circumference, trying not to think about it and its twin tightening around him... Without looking down at the holster in his hands, he adjusted the elastic straps a little. The only thread of logical thought that seemed to be directing his efforts as he reached around her leg was the need to be sure it fit correctly, safely. _It can't slip, and it can't be uncomfortable or she'll probably take it off._ But his fingers grazing along her skin, feeling its warmth through his gloves as he latched the straps, made even that goal hard to keep in mind.

"What? No spikes?" she teased, watching him carefully adjusting the unadorned leather and spandex.

"I wouldn't dare risk placing spikes anywhere near these beautiful legs," he murmured without looking up.

She couldn't resist tormenting him just a little more as he tested the fit by sliding a finger under the strap. "Tight enough to satisfy you?"

Dragging his eyes away from her leg, he looked up at her, watching him with a wicked smirk. _You, my dear, are very naughty._ "The question I had was if it's the right size for you." He snapped one of the elastic bands, making her gasp. "Looks good to me..."

The door suddenly opened a crack as Minion peeped around it and caught sight of his boss kneeling at Roxanne's side, hanging onto her leg. His eyes popped open as he blurted out, "Oh, come on, don't make him beg!"

"_Minion!_" both voices rang out in unison.

Without a word, he quickly shut the door again. Leaning against it, he muttered to himself about never knowing what was going on with those two.

Megamind turned back to her and said, "Draw it a few times to see how it feels." As she did, he got to his feet again.

"Seems to drag a little."

He bent to readjust it, aware of her willingness to put herself in his hands but nearly overcome by the proximity of her creamy bare skin. And he couldn't resist letting his fingers linger, trailing up her skin lightly as his eyes looked up into hers again questioningly.

"Thank you... I think that's better."

Her hand resting on the butt of the pistol stole down to caress along his, and at once he was as concerned for her safety as he was aware the heat of the moment. _I can't lose her. _"Roxanne, please be careful."

"I will."

"You have your phone?"

"Yes…"

"You can always call me. For any reason."

"Megs…"

"You have your gun now, and you-"

She stopped him with a kiss. "I have _you_. I'll be fine."

Frown lines betrayed him, but he quietly agreed, "Yes, you have me." He kissed her cheek, resisting the urge to tell her again that he loved her and couldn't bear the thought of anything happening to her.

"Thank you," she said again, returning his affectionate gesture with another, more wistful kiss to the lips… and found him hesitating.

"You don't have to do that."

"Oh, don't accuse me of that! I know I don't _have_ to. But what if it's not for you?" she challenged. "What if it's for me?"

He realized then that she was as worried as he was, and she didn't want to lose the chance to be with him just as much too. He put both hands alongside her face as she stood gazing at him longingly, inviting him with those blue eyes. His fingers slid into her hair as their lips met and began that slow synchronous tension and release that was mesmerizing and arousing and frustrated him in the most incredible ways.

Wrapping her arms around his shoulders, she pressed herself against him as she sensed he was giving up his reservations… for now, for her. It made her legs weak the way he tried to cover every bit of her mouth with kisses, nose pressing into her cheek, trying out kissing her from either side. One hand slid along her back to hold her closer. The other, still in her hair, ensured her lips could never leave his for very long, gently guiding how they moved together. _I trust him._ It was so easy, letting him take control, and wishing he'd just go ahead and lose control, but the pulsing slowed instead until she was merely teasing at his mouth, begging for more silently, and as he gently caressed each of her lips with his own, she could hear her own breath, too loud in her ears while he lingered over her, caught up in details again, meaning to stop… driving her crazy until she crushed her mouth against his, clutching the black cape in her fists.

He was so tempted to let his own hands ride lower and do some grabbing of his own. A tension was building in his chest at the memory of what those voluptuous hips felt like, and here they were pressing against him again. How could he not want more? But just as experience had taught him not to rush in, otherwise regret it later, he reminded himself of what he'd claimed only yesterday and maintained control with an effort, although his mutinous hands seemed to make one last effort to undermine his good intentions and slipped lower over her skirt… until they found the edge of the fabric caught up on the gun. Kisses slowed, little by little as he rearranged her garment until it covered her again, and with one last noisy parting of their lips they stood nose to nose, slightly breathless and holding onto each other. No words necessary, just aware of each other breathing and being, safe for now. Hopeful for later.

Finally he pulled away enough to look at her. "I tried to let that be just for you, but I think I got something out of it too." Laughing, she hugged him closer as he planted a kiss on her forehead and sighed. "You know… it's tempting to just tie you up somewhere for your own good. I still have the rope."

"Ha! I'm sure you do!" She smiled, understanding how he felt and determined herself not to give in to thoughts of worst case scenarios. "I'll let you tie me up some other time. Right now… I need to get back to work." She patted the gun now hidden under her skirt. "But armed this time!"

He bit his lip. _Hmmm, going to let me tie you up some other time. Is it wrong that I really like the sound of that?... No. It's evil, but it's not wrong._

* * *

><p>Hal was perplexed, watching the buses moving around the city on their usual routes. Why were they not crashing? Why were they not losing power to the brakes and slamming into buildings and other cars all over the city and making Megamind scramble around, unable to save them all? Finally he could stand it no more and waited at a stop impatiently.<p>

Boarding, he sat just behind the driver and asked, "Hey, you ever have a problem with the brakes on these things?"

The driver looked at him sharply in the mirror, and he suddenly felt very exposed. _Dang it, I'm so stupid! They're probably all looking for me. I shouldn't have said that! This was a bad idea_. He tensed, ready to fly through the side of the bus to freedom if necessary, but he had to know. "I mean, I don't usually ride the bus, cause you know, like, the air brakes thing makes me nervous. I mean, like, how could just _air_ stop a whole huge bus… right?"

The driver seemed to relax. "Oh… Well, don't worry! I've been running these vehicles for a long time, and the air brakes are extremely safe. It's really pressure that stops the bus. The system has both front and rear braking and even a sensor that lets us know if there's any kind of problem before we even drive it off the lot in the morning."

_Sensors…_ "Wow, I didn't know that… that's… that's cool. So, when was, like, the last time there was ever a problem? You know, that made the bus not drivable? Or, uh, caused an accident...?"

"Well, funny you should ask! All the buses got checked out just this morning." He stopped short of telling his anxious passenger about the sensors going off in the whole fleet and the vandalism found. "We're confident they're in tip top shape and safe as houses now."

Scowling, Hal sat back in his seat. How was he supposed to have known about brake sensors? Now what was he going to do? Glowering, he looked around the half empty bus, trying to think up some new idea. Spotting the route map posted above one of the doors, a slow smile began to spread over his chubby face. _Yes! That's it… _He nearly got off at the next stop, thinking he could get to the location of his new plan faster under his own power but decided to stay seated instead. He'd been frustrated to find his flying ability was still coming and going, like the rest of his powers.

* * *

><p>Sitting at her desk writing the opener for her piece, she was keenly aware of the gun and holster under her skirt. It was like having a part of him with her, and she resisted the urge to take it out and look at it again, having already wasted enough time doing just that when she should have been working on her story. The pressure of it against her skin recalled the feeling of his fingertips there too. Thoughts of him kneeling, fitting the holster to her thigh were interrupted by her phone. She looked at the miniature screen. <em>Caller blocked<em>. Butterflies danced in her stomach as she flipped it open. "Yes?"

"Hey! You see the paper yet?"

"Oh! Wayne… I wasn't expecting you." She took a breath. "No, which one?"

"Any of the tabloids probably. I took it upon myself to run some interference for you and Megs. Take some of the heat after seeing those photos they published in the Flash," he explained. "Raines is a total jerk."

"I'd have to agree with you there. Hang on." She got up and hurried to the break room where a current copy of every paper in the city was delivered daily. Scanning several, she smiled and then giggled as she spotted the reports of a tall dark stranger singing in a downtown bar. Eyewitnesses reported the man seemed very familiar and appeared to have some unusual talents unrelated to his karaoke performance. Most made mention of the stranger's similarity to Metro Man, but only one speculated outright that maybe, like Elvis, the city's beloved golden boy might not be dead after all. The grainy photos, obviously from cell phones, were telling.

"Not much of a disguise, Wayne!" she laughed. "I don't know what to say. Thanks for trying to help."

"Well, what did Raines have to say about it? I saw him there."

Searching for the Metro City Flash, Roxanne frowned. It was buried beneath the other papers, but when she finally found it, there was no mention of the mysterious sighting at all. "It's not here. That scumbag wouldn't report it! Of course not. Doesn't support his nasty rumors, does it?"

"Crab nuggets… Well, I tried."

"Hey, now. You're not off the hook yet! You have until Saturday to at the very latest let the right people know you're still alive and kicking," she reminded him. "The attorney gen was one of the people we met with today, and she was all about pressing charges."

"Crap."

"I convinced them to give him a reprieve for now, but they have to know the truth." She interpreted the silence on the other end as reluctance. "You owe him this, Wayne."

"I know… I know," he agreed. "I… well, I have an idea."

"Good," she answered. "You know, he wouldn't give you up, even when they were calling it murder." She knew how to twist the knife in him. "But I will."

"I gotcha, Roxanne. Man, you can be a hardass."

"Yeah, well. You're not the only one who owes him."

"I didn't mean to make you feel that bad the other night."

She sighed. "They were inconvenient truths. But I needed to hear it." Neither spoke for a moment.

"I want to see you two get together as much as anybody."

"As much as anybody?"

"Come on, Roxanne. Half the city's buying Tom's story about you two being together because everybody could already see there was something between you guys anyway."

The idea that their relationship might actually be readily accepted struck her. _Maybe we don't have to worry about hiding it_. "That'll be a lot easier for people to swallow when they know you're still alive."

"Ok! I get it!" he groused. "Don't worry. I'll make it happen."

She couldn't hide a satisfied grin. "Thanks, Wayne."

"See ya later, Roxie."

* * *

><p>His boss pacing was always a bad sign. "You let this get personal, Tom! That never makes for good reporting – even in our business!"<p>

Tom Raines scowled and stuck his hands in his pockets. "That guy, whoever he was, was a decoy! I'm sure of it! The whole thing just stunk of Megamind. We all saw Metro Man die. I refuse to be an unwilling accomplice to him getting out of a murder rap!"

"Your job is to go out there and get the news. Not make judgment calls and decide what you _want_ to report! Get your act together. We got scooped by every other paper in the city!" His boss was ticked.

Tom leaned on the desk. "Look. I just need a little more time... and I'll bust this wide open. When I get the evidence I need, we'll be the ones who have the headline they all want."

"You better. One more chance. Screw it up, and you're off this story." His boss stared at him coldly. "And it better be damned good."

"It will be," Tom promised rashly. _It'll be damning, all right_. Curtly dismissed, he strode to his desk, grabbed a camera with a long lens, and left to find his mark.

* * *

><p>Roxanne was doing nothing but stopping people on the street to talk to them. She'd ask a question, film their reaction, and let them go again with a smile. Megamind was nowhere in sight. And Tom was bored. He put down the camera he'd been watching her through and took a swig of coffee instead. Now she was taking a phone call. <em>Great… it's going to be a long day<em>.

Suddenly she and her cameraman were jogging to the news van and jumping in. Tom fumbled his coffee cup into the holder and quickly pulled away from the curb to follow them.


	31. Cross Purposes

_Ok... officially, I hate this chapter. Definitely not my favorite. I've messed with it so much, and I still don't like it, and I may have to come back and redo it again later because I can not stop obsessing over how much I doooon't liiiiike iiiiit, but_ I'm going to go ahead and post for now since the characters are at least moving in the direction I want them to go._ And because like a fool I rashly promised the next chap would be coming up soon. *headdesk* Writing is really a learning process. And I have a lot to learn. The more I write, the more I find I need to learn. So... onward. *groans and buries head with papers* It's all because of morning sickness, I tell you! Can I use that as an excuse - again?_

* * *

><p>Metro Park Zoo was a botanical gem in Metro City's extensive park system as well as being a top-rated zoo. Visitors strolled curving paths through lush, naturalized landscapes of flowers, bushes, and trees, allowing one to forget they were even in a zoo until suddenly from around a corner would appear the next exhibit. Its grounds were so beautiful, it was a choice venue for all kinds of events and even during the workweek, the parking lot was full, attesting to the number of daily visitors it hosted. But at the moment, people were pouring out of the park, looking back over their shoulders as though they couldn't get away fast enough, when Tom pulled up slowly.<p>

Roxanne and Sully, the ambitious young camera operator who'd followed her during the battle with Titan, were already filming at the front gates, the reporter gesturing and explaining what was happening as the crowd parted around her and rushed past. No one would stop to give a comment. By the time she was finished, the stream of visitors frantically escaping had slowed to a trickle. Tom watched carefully as the two KMCP 8 employees conferred with each other. They seemed to argue a little, and her young colleague shook his head as Roxanne slung a smaller camera around her neck and disappeared inside leaving him looking after her, scratching his head.

A parking attendant she knew had informed her that the zoo was being evacuated after every predator enclosure in the park had been found open, the fences and doors smashed in, the animals already out. _Hal. Just the sort of juvenile thing he'd think up._

She knew that she was taking a risk being there, but surely Megamind was there. He would find her and where would she be safer than with him? Plus it would be his first heroic act since defeating Hal, and she intended to lay claim to his stories just as she had to Wayne's. Besides that, her curiosity burned as bright as ever, the need to be in the know overcoming her natural fear of Hal or wild beasts or anything except for being scooped on the story. But today she did feel distinctly on edge as she scanned around. No animals were in sight, no zoo employees could be seen, even the birds were silent. The back of her neck prickled uncomfortably, and she quickly moved closer to one of the buildings. _Just find him fast_.

Standing with her back to the wall, she wondered which animals were loose and where they were. She had imagined they'd be walking around, snarling and growling in corners while the staff captured them with nets and whatnot, but the park was eerily quiet. She began to creep along the building, and reaching the corner she stopped, the wide overhang of the roof somehow providing her with a sense of security even though the feeling of being watched was stronger than ever. Reaching down to feel the reassuring shape of her new pistol through her skirt, she glanced around to see if she could locate the hidden stalker. _I'm not sure if I'd prefer it be a lion or Hal._

The closest building was about thirty feet away, within sprinting distance. Tensing like a coiled spring, she nervously took one last look around and broke from the side of the building… then shrieked as her forward movement was checked hard by a hand clamped on her shoulder, pulling her backward.

"What are you doing?"

"AHHH!" Her hand flew to her chest, trying to keep her heart from leaping out of it before her brain registered the identity of the voice. " Oh my gosh! Don't sneak up on me like that!" She took some deep breaths before answering, "I'm getting the story!"

"Really? Well, you almost _were_ the story." Megamind whirled her around to face him and pointed up. "There's a panther up there that's been stalking you and just waiting for the opportunity to pounce on your neck and drag you off into the bushes." Y_ou should be so lucky, cat. Heck, I should be so lucky!_

She turned pale. "Well, why did you wait so long to tell me?" She blew out a deep breath, hoping to slow her pounding heart, and explained, "One of my sources tipped me off, and I came over."

_I just warned you about this in the mayor's office._ "So why aren't there any other reporters actually inside the park?" Megamind demanded. "Possibly they have more sense to stay out of such a dangerous situation? Come here." He pulled her closer to himself near the wall. "Stay near the building."

"Possibly they haven't got the guts," she fired back. The tense situation made them both a bit snappy. "I told you I wasn't going to stay quietly at home today. And anyway… _they're_ not sleeping with the city's new defender." Faces close together, she shrugged a little as her eyes dipped to his chin. "I know you won't let anything happen to me."

_Sleeping together… _His stomach did a little flip. He looked up at the overhang and demurred, "We haven't been sleeping together."

"Technically, yes, we have." She couldn't resist adding, "And by the way, you snore."

"I do not!"

The curve of a tail lowering over the edge of the roof caught their attention. The tip slowly twitched. "Stay right there," he warned her with brows drawn darkly over his green eyes, "or I'll dehydrate you too."

She watched as he stepped out from the building, eyes fixed on the overhang. Intent on his target, he moved with a sinuous much like the cat he stalked. Roxanne watched, memorizing the concentration on his face as he took aim and neatly contained the creature in a blue cube without even disturbing it. Then she kicked herself for having forgotten to get a photograph. _Ok, stop drooling over him and get the story!_ She'd never had such distractions to deal with while reporting on Wayne._ You can't let your emotions get in the way of doing your job._

He looked around as a brainbot swooped down to retrieve the cube from the roof and brought it to him. "Panther," he told it and watched it fly off to place the dehydrated animal back in the habitat the zoo's employees were busily repairing. Then crooking a finger, he frowned and motioned to her to come to him. _Of course I wouldn't let anything happen to her, but does she think that means she can go wherever and do whatever she wants?_

"What's eating you?" she demanded, walking his way.

"Eating me? The problem is I don't want anything eating you!" _Except me.._.He scowled._ Now stop that! Concentrate_. "Roxanne, we know who's behind this. And more than likely, he's still here." He looked around, laying bait now that he had her near enough to protect. "If only the big, dumb jock would come out and fight in the open."

"Ok, it's probably him. But really? What evidence do we have that he'll come after me?"

He slumped a bit in disbelief, staring at her_._ "I would if I were him. Find your enemy's weakness and exploit it. If there were a handbook for villains, that would be rule number one." Looking in her blue eyes gazing at him so trustingly, he pointed out, "You are my weakness."

She smiled at the thought, tempted to tease him about getting weak in the knees in the mayor's office. But as the further meaning of his words registered, she sobered again. "I'm your weakness?" _Just how does he mean that?_

"Roxanne… there are times I can hardly think straight when you're near me. Worrying about you destroys my concentration even more. And now… oh, well, I suppose it's actually better that you're with me where I can keep an eye on you today. But stay close. You have your de-gun? We need to go find Minion, and you may get in some target practice on the way."

She found his words flattering and worrisome at the same time. "Where are all the animals?" she asked, pulling her still unfamiliar weapon from its holster under her skirt. "I thought they'd be… out. You know, wandering around, enjoying their freedom."

"They're following their instincts. Some are territorial. Some hunt. Many hide and wait for prey to pass by. Which you nearly were," he chided again.

"Ok! I'm sorry," she offered.

He took a deep breath, struggling under the weight of so many things on his mind. There was work he still needed to finish before the opening, less than two days away. He was still trying to decide how to recreate himself in his new role as a hero. _I can't be Wayne._ Wayne. How was he was going to explain his disappearance to the satisfaction of the press and the public and the city's officials? Or would he leave him with a mess of red tape? And there was the detestable Tom Raines who would probably always be a thorn in his side. But hanging over everything was the worry of keeping Roxanne safe from Hal. "No, I'm sorry. Look. I don't mean to snap at you." Frowning, he looked around. "But, this is nothing more than a set up. An amateurish one, to be sure, but I don't like it. And while I don't have any choice but to deal with it, you don't have to be here."

Rolling her eyes and wondering how many times they were going to have to have this discussion, she argued, "Of course I do! If I want to do my job."

* * *

><p>Hal kept his distance and watched as the two walked along. <em>Oh great! How am I supposed to grab her now? And where are all the tigers and stuff? <em>He'd imagined the beasts stalking and viciously attacking his rival, keeping him fully occupied so he would have a chance to abduct Roxanne unnoticed. But the two were doing nothing more than strolling along, having what seemed to be a heated conversation. From his vantage point he couldn't hear what they were saying. Not with human hearing. Sticking a finger in his ear, he wiggled it with a grimace. _Stupid super hearing won't… oh! There it goes._

"… go back to the Lair for the day and the brainbots will guard you."

"We already talked about this."

He stopped and turned to her. "But you're not taking the risk seriously."

"I know the risks."

"And now we know for sure that-"

"But don't ask me to-"

"Would you just listen to reason for a moment!"

"Megs-"

Hal grinned to himself. _Trouble in paradise already. Nice_. Slyly chuckling, he turned his head a little as the sound cut out again. It didn't matter. He knew Roxanne and that there was no chance she would lay low and give up a chance to get a story. In fact he was counting on it. And then he spotted it. They were about to have trouble. _Oh, I can make this even more interesting, _he thought, grinning like a fiend before speeding away.

"I'm only trying to suggest that _possibly_-"

"Megamind."

"Roxanne, could I just get a word in edgewise! I-"

"Megamind, look behind you!"

Swiftly turning his head, he spotted a pair of eyes watching them from a small copse and heard a low growl. "Oh." Casually, he took aim and dehydrated it, telling the attending brainbot that what it was and where it should go. "What I was saying is-"

"Megs!" she pointed at another wolf hiding near where the first one had been.

Annoyed, he looked back and dropped it quickly and continued, "-is that even though Hal is completely incompetent-"

Seeing her watching behind him again, he grabbed her shoulders, changed places with her, and continued animatedly talking in his usual fashion. Occasionally he pointed his gun and fired, barely glancing at his targets. "-even the most-" _blast_ "-blockheaded fool gets lucky at times! That's a wolf," he informed the waiting brainbot who held the cube.

"Well, what are you suggesting?" she asked, when she saw a lion slowly pacing toward them. It didn't look as though it has any intention of attacking, but her hand still shook slightly as she took careful aim and squeezed the trigger, unwittingly closing her eyes. When she opened them, she saw the blue block still steaming on the ground. "I did it!"

"Great!" he replied, shooting at another hairy form. "Do it again! There's one over there." She was slower then he was, and it would take a while to get used to using a firearm with the ease he did. Megamind was pleased to see her practicing nonetheless. "Lion," they said in unison when the brainbot brought the cubes to them.

They looked at each other, and Roxanne picked up the conversation where it had left off. "Do you really expect me to avoid any kind of situation that might possibly-" The larger de-gun blasted at something behind her, but frustrated with the interruptions, she ignored it. "-be some villain's evil plan?"

"No. Leopard." He gestured with the gun in his hand. "But if it's _obvious_… like today! ...then I think you should-" he barely looked and blasted again "-not put yourself in harm's way! Squirrel."

"Squirrel?"

The brainbot holding the cube waited too, its eyestalk tipping to one side as though confused.

"Sorry. He caught me off guard. Give it to me." He stuck the cube in one of the small pockets concealed in his cape by the lightning bolt designs, intending to release the little critter at the first water fountain they could find. "Now look…"

"Megamind, do you realize what you're asking me? This is my job. I've worked really hard to build my career."

"Well, excuse me for thinking your safety is more important! What if-" _blast_ "I can't get to you in time, or-" _blast_ "-if because I'm having to save you-" _blast_ "-I end up distracted and can't do my job? Hyenas. I'm not Metro Man."

Their argument dragged on as the every predator in the zoo seemed to find its way to them. Roxanne could not believe that he was pressuring her to stay away from what she saw as the best news stories and ended up leaving most of the dehydrating to him as she grew more flustered, focusing on making her points.

Megamind couldn't believe the woman he loved who seemed so intelligent would not see sense. He barely glanced at the animals as they showed up. Waving the gun to make a point at times and firing it when necessary, he never missed, but he was growing more frustrated as Roxanne refused to see his side of things. _Why can she not get it?_ And all the while he was also aware that there was only one reason for all the animals to converge on them at once the way they were. They had help. As they stood toe to toe with each other, rehashing their reasons, all of his senses were actually on high alert for the one beast that truly concerned him, but to his annoyance Hal kept himself hidden. _Just keep her near. She'll be fine._

Carefully sneaking another peek at the two, Hal realized his plan was not going to work. He'd hoped Roxanne would panic and run. _She's sticking closer to that bigheaded freak than ever._ _And she has a little gun now, cute. I need a new plan. Something… bigger. Something that'll distract him from her._ _Maybe I'll go back to my old apartment and see if..._ He stopped as inspiration brought a slow, crooked smile to his face.

When the last hyena had been repackaged in a tidy geometric shape and sent off to its compound in the clutches of a helpful bot, and their argument had danced round the same points a million times and reached a stalemate as well, Roxanne looked around. "Did we get them all?"

"I think so," Megamind answered. "Let's go find Minion. Every animal in the park was here just now, and I can't think why he hasn't shown up too. He could have been helping us. But knowing him, he's over in the aquarium again."

They strolled along silently looking for their missing friend, needing a break from their heated exchange, both a little uneasy. _I know he doesn't want me to get hurt, but… I thought he liked it that I'm good at what I do._ "So you've been here before? I haven't visited in a long time. It's usually so crowded, I avoid it, but it's nice when it's this peaceful," Roxanne mentioned as they walked down an avenue with overarching branches above making it seem close and intimate. She thought of what a nice setting it would be for them if they weren't currently at each other's throats. Smaller, flowering trees bloomed, and bushes and tall grasses lined the path as well, almost completely hiding a tall and exceptionally strong-looking chain link fence.

"Yes, it's even more peaceful after closing," Megamind agreed. "No crowds at all then."

She laughed. "Is _that_ when you've made your visits?"

"Of course! You don't think I could just waltz in with the general public, do you? My giant, robotic, ape-fish at my side? We'd have emptied the place faster than a fart in an elevator." He smirked. "But one of the fun things about being e-vil is never playing by the rules! We make our own visiting hours."

"Well, you won't be doing that anymore!" She chuckled and slipped her fingers into his gloved hand, giving him a reassuring smile, "Now it'll be trying to keep fans from mobbing you whenever you're out in public."

Somberly he realized she was right. _No more sneaking. No more going to the zoo after hours or breaking into the museum at midnight, walking around eating popped-corn… Heroes don't do stuff like that. _He felt a bit more of his past slip away._ No wonder Wayne wanted out._

Squeezing her hand, he kept his thoughts to himself, still mulling over their disagreement as well. _Really, there's only one fan I'd like to be mobbed by anyway…preferably in more private settings. _He glanced over at her, rubbing along her fingers softly with his own._ But I have to keep you alive in order to have that opportunity. "_Roxanne… as nice as this is," he gestured around them, "This isn't play time. Can you try to understand why I hate seeing you put yourself in danger?" He looked at her with concern, wishing she understood. "Like I said, I'm not Metro Man."

_Play time!…no, _she calmed herself_, remember what David said. Cut him some slack. He's under a lot of pressure. He's never had a girlfriend before. It'll take some time for him to learn the ropes. _Instead she bumped his shoulder with hers. "Good thing too. I don't want you to be him."

"But, what I mean is… I know you've been used to him coming to your rescue." He sighed. "Let's face it. _He's_ invincible. And with him looking out for you, you could do whatever you wanted, secure in the knowledge that he would always show up to save you no matter what kind of situation you got yourself into. Usually at the last possible minute, the show-off." He paused, seemingly uncomfortable with what he was about to say next. "I hate even admitting this but," he shrugged, "I'm not perfect!"

Laughing, she pretended to be shocked, "Really?"

"Now come on," he scowled, "You know what I mean."

"Megs," Roxanne calmly reminded him, "You gave me my own weapon. I told you I wasn't going to stay behind, and you told me to be careful-"

"Well, I wouldn't have done all that if I'd known you were going to go around doing such stupid things!"

"Whoa." She stopped. "Excuse me... stupid?" When she dropped his hand, he knew immediately he'd said the wrong thing. "What kind of stupid things have I been doing, Megamind?"

"Now!" He backed up a step and held up a finger as though it alone could ward off her anger. "Don't overreact. Stupid wasn't the right word, obviously. Uhh, foolish." He saw her raise an eyebrow and winced. "Rash! Yes, rash is… better. I'm talking about taking risks you don't need to take."

She crossed her arms. "You have a 'for example' for me?"

_Watch it. _At that moment the affronted woman standing before him made him more nervous than any lioness poised to attack. "Uh, ok… for example, the way you waltzed into the zoo just now. Right in the front gate. Alone! You do realize you walked right into a trap, don't you?"

"I'm not an idiot. But this is my job. Taking those risks is something I've always done, Metro Man or no Metro Man. It's what makes me the best reporter in the city. And after fighting tooth and nail to be just that, I'm not about to let anyone make me stop." She frowned at him for a moment before adding, "Including you. When you were pretending to be evil, I never let wondering what you might do next hold me back from going wherever I needed to go or doing what I needed to do."

He grasped her shoulders, eyes popping with the effort of trying to breach the universally troubling male-female communication barriers for the first time. "But that's just it. It was all pretending before and now…! Now it's real! The danger is real. And the risks are… unacceptable!" he finished, louder than he meant to in his frustration.

"Unacceptable to who? You or me?"

He put his hands to his head. "ARGH!" He looked at her, eyes narrowed in disbelief. "Are we speaking the same language here? I don't understand why-"

"Ok, so what would you prefer?" she interrupted sharply. "You want me to give up my job? Or just do it less well? Settle for mediocrity. You want me to be like everybody else? Would that make you feel better?"

"No! No, but you could… use some common sense so I don't have to worry about you so much."

"So you don't have to worry about me so much," she repeated in a deceptively calm voice and stood looking at him with hard eyes and a set jaw. "You know what? I can take care of myself. Why don't you just _not_ bother worrying."

_Oh no… Time out! How did you get yourself in this mess?_ Megamind stood like a deer caught in headlights, wishing he knew what he could say that would not dig his grave any deeper. A branch cracked nearby, snapping them both to instant alertness. "Minion?" he called. A deep ho-ho-hoing responded from the shadows and more branches crackled. "Uh oh. Not Minion."

"Oh… I think I just remembered where we are," Roxanne mentioned, glancing around.

A dark, heavy shape moved laterally through the dense bushes around them, glimpses of silver glinting through the leaves. They heard a loud snort. "I have a feeling we might be trespassing in someone's territory," he muttered when suddenly the huge bulk of the zoo's silverback gorilla charged with surprising speed.

Before he could draw the de-gun, a second hulking shape jumped in front of them with a roar, startling them and the large male gorilla who stopped in his tracks with a look of surprise. "Gahhh! Go on! Get out of here!" Minion leaned down and slapped his wide hands on the ground, standing between the animal and his much smaller friends.

The silverback looked at him, clearly confused. He snorted again, his heavy brow ridge hooding his small brown eyes. Then lowered his head and let out a series of forceful, low hoots again.

"O-kay! That didn't work." Next Minion stood as tall as he could and pounded his chest, making the metal ring in the open air. The gorilla slapped his hands on the ground and rose up as well, judging his opponent's height against his own.

"Minion!" Megamind hissed from behind him. "Stop challenging him!"

"I'm not!" the fish answered from the side of his mouth. "I'm trying to get him to back down! Clearly I'm taller than he is and all the books say… Oh wait!"

Turning, he grabbed Megamind and pulled him to his chest. "What are you doing?" the muffled voice demanded as Minion began to make the motions of 'grooming' his friend.

"Shut up and pretend to be a baby gorilla or you might get your limbs ripped off!"

"No gorilla is that stupid! I do not look anything like a- mmmphfmm!" His protest was cut off and the green eyes popped open wide as his face was pressed tighter against the furry arm of the mecha suit.

The silverback was watching carefully, his head moving side to side as he tried to make sense of the odd sight before him. Why was that male holding that scraggly-looking thing? Could it possibly be his offspring? Finally, backpedalling in confusion, he snorted at the two and turned to lope away, glancing back over his shoulder at them as though he wanted nothing to do with such odd creatures. A flash of light reduced him to a cube before he could disappear back into the brush again.

"Sorry, I should have thought of that before," Roxanne apologized as Megamind struggled free from his friend's unwelcome embrace with a scowl. "Guess I was a little distracted by the show." She tried hard not to giggle but didn't quite succeed.

Megamind was glaring at his sidekick and pulling at his disarranged clothing. "What was that for?"

"It's a little-known method wild gorillas use to defuse a tense situation or stop an attacking male. One will grab a baby, hold it tightly, and start to groom it. Most of the time, the attacker will stop. Apparently the presence of a helpless infant turns off their aggression. Usually."

"Helpless-! Usually? You mean it might not have worked?" He was still glaring, his ego bruised at being starred as the baby in the scenario. "And why didn't you grab Roxanne? She'd make a much more attractive infant than I would!"

Minion looked flustered. "Because… well, because! She's Ms Ritchie!" _And unless that was a breakup I just heard…_ He had been just about to call out to them when he realized what they were saying and waited instead, caught between eavesdropping and not wanting to interrupt. But in any case he hadn't been about to grab up his boss's girlfriend in a tight embrace.

Roxanne was still struggling to overcome her amusement. "Don't be mad at Minion. I thought that was pretty smart!" As the outraged alien folded his arms crossly, she reached out and added, "Oh, come here, baby…"

Minion giggled, as Megamind complained, "I am _not_ going to answer to that!" Listening to his companions laugh out loud, he considered how different his reaction to Roxanne calling him 'baby' might have been only a few hours previously. He would file away hearing her say it to replay in his daydreams at a later time, unless he could manage to get her to repeat it sometime. Which was seeming more and more unlikely.

With the brainbots' help, they tracked the rest of the gorilla troop and returned them to their rightful place. Roxanne tried to stay near the duo, snapping photos, but out of the way. She had to admit to herself that her temper had nearly made her say things that she really didn't mean, but her pride still stung at the idea that he might be asking her to give up what she loved. _There's more to it than that, Roxanne, admit it. But, damn it… doesn't he have any idea what this means to me? _She felt a pang of guilt. _No, he wouldn't. He doesn't know. _

"Ms Ritchie!" She turned from watching Megamind and Minion explaining to the park's staff how to rehydrate their inmates to see Sully jogging toward her. "You won't believe this!" Two uniformed officers just behind him ran past to deliver a message to the city's defender as well.

* * *

><p>Tom was annoyed having missed the action in the zoo, but he hadn't been able to bring himself to follow his quarry inside. After cornering a couple of fleeing guests, he knew what was happening. <em>I'm not risking my neck to go in there. She's nuts.<em> So he'd waited, annoyed and impatient, leaning against his car. It seemed forever before he saw the two newshounds hurry back out of the front gates again and jump into their van. _Great, now what?_

* * *

><p>The massive overpasses that crisscrossed Metro City had been designed to allow people to bypass the old parts of town and move directly into the heart of the newer, shining downtown, the city's pride. They were feats of planning and engineering, major thoroughfares, never completely empty of traffic even in the wee hours of the morning.<p>

But this wasn't early morning, and it had taken hardly any effort for Hal to destroy in moments the impressive structure that passed over his former residence. Every day he had watched people bypassing the shabby part of the city where he lived, headed toward the newer, the smarter, the fashionable places. Like where Roxanne lived. It made him sour.

Once, coming home from work after being rebuffed by his crush yet again, it had even struck him in a moment of rare insight that the giant structure overshadowing his apartment was like a metaphor of his life. He was tired of being passed over, never getting so much as a glance, never given a chance, never being good enough. And then, like an answer to a prayer, he'd been granted powers that he was certain would solve all his problems and make Roxanne unable to resist him. But… he still hadn't been good enough. Not for her. He didn't understand. So now she would have to explain.

Smugly surveying his work, an entire section of the massive roadway broken and twisted, he thought to himself that today, the traffic would stop for him. She would stop for him. He waited with a self-satisfied smirk, knowing this little disaster would keep Megamind busy and give him his chance.

Hearing the cries for help from people stranded on the broken road above irritated what little semblance of conscience he had left. "Yeah, keep yelling," he muttered, glancing up at them before resuming his watch for the reporter. "Makes better bait." In the distance he spotted an odd, glimmering cloud. _What the heck is that?_ Squinting, he peered further ahead with far-sighted super vision and realized it was a massive army of brainbots. _Crap. Of course he'd bring them. They'll be all over, and they'll blow my cover_.

Motorists nervously sitting in the cars and trucks trapped on the crazily slanting concrete suddenly screamed at the thumping of several bots quickly descending onto their vehicles, the wide-eyed occupants almost as fearful of the unexpected appearance of the jagged-toothed cyborgs with their glowing red eyestalks peering in the windows as they were by the sudden upheaval of the road they had been driving on. Secured for now, they would have to wait to be lifted to safety until the unfortunate people who had taken the plunge with the fallen section of overpass received help.

The formerly criminal duo quickly orchestrated the rest of the crew to stabilize the precarious roadway overhead, allowing emergency personnel to help the people on the ground without fear of being crushed under more falling debris. Police officers worked to control the scene, hurrying ambulances into the area. More bots began to scan through the huge chunks of fallen metal and concrete for signs of life underneath.

Roxanne and Sully had followed the newly pardoned defenders to the scene and wasted no time, questioning pedestrians who had narrowly escaped and now stood watching in shock. Most witnesses said the structure had seemed to buckle and rise, then fall in slow motion, although no one could understand why. Most people underneath had had time to escape. Roxanne held the microphone up to one man's pale face and listened to his harrowing story, including his description of someone apparently hanging onto the side of the overpass as it came down. _Hal, how could you do this? _She still found it hard to believe he could be so evil.

As the man walked away again, she glanced around nervously, deciding she would at least stay as near Megamind as possible when a sudden commotion caught her attention. Waving a rescue crew nearer, the blue alien with Minion and the bots carefully moved I-beams and rubble aside to reveal a dirty, scraped hand emerging from a jagged hole under a large, seemingly whole section of road. They began to examine the situation closely as Roxanne pushed her microphone into her colleague's hand and ran closer, hearing a woman crying for help.

"…how we're going to get her out," she heard him say quietly to Minion as she drew near.

"What's going on?" she asked breathlessly. "Why don't you just have the brainbots lift that?" She could easily imagine Wayne doing just that.

Concerned green eyes turned to her. "It's too unstable. If we move it at all, it could break up and crush her completely." He looked toward the hole again. "No one can fit in there, and she can't come out…" He hesitated. "Unless I make her smaller."

"What?" Roxanne asked.

"If she'll let me dehydrate her, I can pull her out of that hole as it is."

Minion looked skeptical. "She's pretty upset, I don't think she'll go for it."

"Well, I may have to force her for her own good."

"That's-" Roxanne stopped herself. _That's not how heroes operate. Isn't it? How many times do policemen or firefighters have to make people do things for their own good?_ Don't make him second-guess himself, David had warned. "Let me talk to her."

They moved closer to the small opening, and Roxanne bent to touch the woman's hand. "Are you alone in there?"

"Yes! Please! Get me out of here!"

"Listen to me." She looked over at Megamind. "We need a way to get you out of this small hole, so… we're going to… Megamind's going to dehydrate you."

"NO! No, don't!" the woman's voice rose frantically.

Roxanne held her hand tighter. "Calm down. Listen. I'm right here. Can you see me?"

"Yes…"

"Watch. I'm going to show you there's nothing to be afraid of." She let go of the woman's hand and looked up at the blue face watching her intently. "Do me."

Only hesitating a moment, he pulled the de-gun and fired at her. It gave him an extremely odd feeling to have to shoot Roxanne. "Minion."

As the fish sent a wave of water over the reporter, the woman drew back fearfully. But when Roxanne reappeared, she reached out again. "See? It's ok. I'm fine."

"Could you do it?" the trembling voice asked.

Roxanne hesitated, thinking of the small pistol at her thigh, then reached to take her blue hero's hand and pulled him down beside her to look in the narrow opening. She put his hand under the woman's fingers and saw him take them gently. "No, I can't. Megamind will, and he'll do it exactly the same way he just did to me." She paused. "I trust him. You can too."

There was a moment's silence before the voice acquiesced uncertainly. "Ok."

While Roxanne stood at his shoulder, Megamind took careful aim and pulled the trigger. Then reaching far into the small dark space, he gently extracted the glowing shape as Roxanne motioned to the nearby paramedics. Minion hurried to place the cube on a waiting gurney and rehydrated it, watching the attendants hurry into action, wheeling the now freed woman away for treatment. In the background, spectators clapped in relief and other news crews that had arrived recorded everything.

Puzzled, the blue hero turned to the reporter and asked, "Why did you say you couldn't do it?"

"Because I wanted her to find out that she could trust you. There are still people in this city that believe the kind of crap Tom puts in his stories." She had felt the woman try to pull her hand away just before Megamind touched her. _How much more bigotry is he going to have to put up with, even now?_ "I wanted you to be the one to prove her wrong."

He took her hands, overwhelmed by gratefulness for her advocacy and the awareness of how much he needed her. _Where would I be right now if she didn't believe in me?_ "You have to leave."

Roxanne had been expecting to hear a word of thanks. "Wha-? Megamind!"

"He's here. Somewhere. I want you to leave, now. The brainbots will take you-"

Her face darkened, and she dropped his hand. "No way. Don't waste your time your time even asking."

"How much time will it waste if I have to come rescue you?" Her mouth dropped open, and he flinched. "That didn't come out right."

"Oh ho, I think it came out exactly right! Ok. We don't have time to talk about this and play nice right now, so here's the bottom line. I'm not giving up my career. I'm not going to hide in the Lair or anywhere else. And if that's too much of an inconvenience for you… then… then this isn't going to work." She turned on her heel and walked away with a scowl that slowly faded as she listened, fully expecting him to call her back. But he didn't.

* * *

><p>Tom had maneuvered around the ruined street and impatiently flashed his press badge to bypass police and finally arrived just in time to observe the proceedings with interest. <em>What do you know. An actual rescue. <em>Looking around, he smirked and shook his head_. I can't believe nobody's questioned yet how this section of road came down. We all know who has the ability to make it happen. He's really getting elaborate now and endangering people too._

Megamind and Roxanne seemed to be having an argument, and lifting his camera to see them up close, he quickly snapped some photos, their faces full of emotion. Then Roxanne turned and stalked back toward her news van as Megamind silently watched her go. _What I wouldn't give to know what she just said to him_. He took some close ups of the blue alien before Minion called and he turned back to the road again. _Wow, look at that face. Totally crushed! Perfect time to go question her_. Catching people in highly emotional states was always profitable.

Walking to intercept her, he saw a man with a hooded sweatshirt pulled over his head sidling along the side of the news van, glancing in the windows. Roxanne stood at the back, checking equipment. _That's not her cameraman._ She must have thought it was because he saw her begin talking to the person she assumed was her young colleague. Then she looked up and realized it wasn't. Tom's steps slowed as he saw Roxanne's face turn pale. The hooded man reached out and took her arm, then looked around furtively, allowing him a glimpse of a familiar face and red hair. _Is that-?_ Roxanne seemed about to call out but winced as the two began walking rapidly away from the scene, her arm still in the man's grasp.

_Can't be. He's in prison._ Quickening his steps, he hurried to catch up to the pair who were disappearing around a corner and into the alley of a nearby building. Breaking into a jog, he was just in time to watch in shock as Hal put an arm firmly around Roxanne's waist and flew away with her. As he ran back out of the alley, he spotted them far overhead, training his camera's long lens skyward to see where they might be going.

* * *

><p>The sky was threatening, growing dark, making it more and more urgent to get the stranded vehicles off the damaged overpass before the tilted surface became slick with rain. Some of the bots were already stabilizing sections of roadway overhead, others continued scanning and digging through rubble below. Minion directed small groups to lift each vehicle off the road and bring them down to clear areas on the lower street level where rescue personnel waited to assist motorists and passengers.<p>

The entire area was filled with emergency personnel, police, and reporters. The flashing lights of the ambulances and cruisers combined with the powerful spotlights used by the news crews created a scene of confusion. Megamind had forced himself to not check on Roxanne, trying to concentrate on the emergency instead. _Obviously she doesn't want me fussing over her._ He wanted to call for a time out and go finish their argument, try to unravel the mess he felt he'd made, but this was real life and no time outs would be granted. Plus, her final words held him back. _Did she really mean that? How angry is she?_ The fact that she wasn't within sight, smiling encouragingly, depressed him.

Once he looked back, feeling some assurance as he spotted her van, but a group of bots demanded his attention, distracting him again. However, he could not escape the growing sense of agitation at the back of his mind. As the time passed, it became more insistent until he simply couldn't concentrate. He began to look around, becoming more concerned as he realized he could not see her anywhere. "Minion!"

The harassed sidekick was dealing with his own problems, one of the less reliable brainbot crews made up of a particularly unpredictable series of bots who seemed to want to play with a small car they were bringing down from the overpass. He wouldn't have bothered calling them out of the Lair, but they had needed all the help they could muster. "Sir, I'm a little busy!"

"Where is she?"

"She?"

"ROXANNE!"

"Oh! I- now stop rocking it like that!" he called to the crew, hearing the car's passengers shouting in alarm as their vehicle swayed from side to side. "I don't know. I thought she was with you." Then he remembered Pinky hovering around. He'd waved her off, thinking she was just agitated because her unit was being used to lift a section of concrete. _Go stay with Ms Ritchie_, he'd told her.

Megamind immediately stopped what he was doing to take a good look around. He scrutinized the reporters and networks that were closer than any of the others. Roxanne was not among them. _Ok, don't panic, _he told himself as his heart began to speed up_. Don't panic? Why not? She would never let anyone else get the story before her. Roxanne is the closest one to the action every time. Check the van_. Running to the vehicle, he threw open the back doors. It was empty, no Roxanne and no cameraman. With an ominous feeling, he began shouting her name. A sound of groaning came from nearby. Dashing around the vehicle, he found the unfortunate Sully lying prostrate on the cold ground as the first sprinkles of rain began to come down. "Where is she? Where did he take her?" he demanded.

The poor man could give no more of an answer than to groan again, and bending down, the frantic hero finally noticed the blood at the back of his head staining the ground. The world seemed to spin as he was caught in the grip of a cold wave of fear. _What will he do to her? How long has she been gone?_ Yelling for medics until a couple finally responded and hurried over to attend to the man, Megamind quickly ran back to Minion. "She's gone! You're in charge here."

Round brown eyes looked back at him in alarm. "Sir. Be careful. Use your head."

"I intend to," Megamind answered, checking the de-gun and setting it to de-stroy with a shaking hand. "Among other things." Overwrought, he looked up at his companion, begging for one last bit of help. "Minion, where would he take her?"

The fish was deeply concerned for both of his friends. Who knew what Hal might do to Roxanne, and having just caught the last strains of their most recent round of bickering he knew Megamind was not in the most collected state of mind. But what could he do? They couldn't both leave the emergency at the overpass. "Well, remember who you're dealing with."

'They could be anywhere," Megamind muttered. "By the time I find her..."

"Sir. Think! What is it Hal wants?"

Megamind was no longer looking at his sidekick. "What will I do without her?" he croaked as his mouth turned down at the corners.

Rarely had he seen his boss succumb to the fear of failure, but when he did, it paralyzed him. Before him now stood that little boy returned from school with yet another failure chalked up to his name, hopes dashed again. "MEGAMIND!"

With a jolt he looked up at the aquatic creature who never used his name, his serrated lower jaw jutting forward as he glared.

"Sir, get a grip! This is no time to fall apart! Ms Ritchie needs you _now_. You can't help her if you don't start thinking."

"But Minion…"

"It doesn't matter what you feel or even what she feels! The two of you need to stop these silly arguments."

His boss still appeared shrunken and uncertain. "I don't know what she wants."

"You want a chance to find out, don't you?"

_I'm afraid to find out. But not knowing is worse_. "…yes."

"Well, I think at the very least she wants to live! So put that big brain to work!" he demanded. "You know Hal. Where would he take her?"

_I know Hal. Ok. Such a simpleton ought to be easy to figure out. What does he want? He wants her… said he was going to… _Anger began to replace the anguish on his face. _Hurry. He wants her, but he must know people are looking for him so he needs to hide. He hates me, hates that I'm a hero now… Where would I take her if I were him? _"I think I know."

"So GO!" Eyes dark with concern, Minion watched his friend sprint obediently for the Hudson_. I guess he does still need me_.


	32. And Justice For All

_Hope you find this chapter enjoyable. I must add here a deeply heartfelt thank you to Nora Salisbury, a very strong and gifted author in her own right, who has helped me out by acting as a beta for this half of Filigree and most of my other fics lately, as well as lending moral support and providing me with plenty of laughs when the going is tough. Thanks, Nora. MWAH! I know... I changed a bunch of stuff since you read it. *ducks*_

_Heads up for a great fic you should check out. SapphireGirl93 is a friend of mine who is just getting started but already proving she's a force to be reckoned with, an author you should definitely keep an eye on. Check out her story, Dangerous Secret. New chapter coming up soon there!_

_Thanks to all of you for reading, and sprinkles and sparkles and shiny gold stars to you lovelies who take the time to review. I really do appreciate it more than you know and love to hear from every single one of you._

* * *

><p><em>At least it's not the tower<em>, thought Roxanne as Hal set her on the smooth concrete surface. She had not gotten more than a quick glance at the structure she was standing on, although she knew exactly where they were. And she thought she knew why.

Megamind had only just finished construction of the statue that the mayor had requisitioned to replace the one he had blown up, flanked by the identical wings of the museum. Fleetingly she thought of how annoyed he'd be if the thing were damaged without even having been unveiled yet. _You have other things to worry about, Roxanne_, she told herself as she glanced around, Hal watching her with a smirk, enjoying her discomfort. _Like staying alive_.

Even she hadn't yet been behind the massive blue curtain, but she knew what they were now standing on. Hal had paused at the base and then lifted her into the air, carrying her to the apex of that familiar head, its rounded surface falling away on all sides leaving her feeling unsteady and insecure. Off to one side, a slender arm soared upward, lifting above her the only part that was visible from outside the curtain, a spherical copper cage. She looked up at it briefly, but that was a mistake. Hands out to steady herself and heart racing, she desperately wished for something to hang onto. Metro City Tower was higher, but at least she had had the radio antenna there, solid and stable.

She tried to calm herself as vertigo took over for a moment, making everything seem to move under her feet. _I will never be able to deal with heights again after all this._ The flight there had been nerve-wracking enough. Several times she'd felt Hal slow, tensing up as though uncertain of himself, and once they even began to fall for a moment, high above the city in the overcast sky. She had seen a flash of fear cross his face and knew. _He doesn't have all his power back. Oh my gosh, he'll end up killing us both without even meaning to._

She wondered if Megamind had noticed her absence yet as she shivered in a sudden gust of cool air. Hadn't she told him not to worry about her? He was probably upset, maybe even angry, certainly fully engaged in dealing with the emergency Hal had orchestrated. Who knew how long it would take him to realize she was missing.

"Sooo, Roxie," Hal began casually as though they were only there to catch up. "Here we are again."

"Yeah, no kidding." She could hardly stand to see Hal walking so carelessly along the smooth surface. "Barely. You having a little trouble with your super powers?"

"Not as much as you might think." He levitated easily to make his point, and she found it strange to see him flying in ordinary street clothes.

"Hal, this will only end badly." _I'm not sure for which one of us, but it's not going to be good no matter what._ "What do you want from me? You're out of jail. Free. Why don't you just leave Metro City?"

"Because I have unanswered questions." He crossed his arms and looked her over slowly as he descended again. "And unfinished business."

* * *

><p>Tom rode the elevator up the museum's left wing to the walkway that encircled the space between the two buildings. As the doors opened, he could hear faint voices. Quickly and quietly he walked out and began looking for a parting in the fabric. Surely the thing wasn't all one piece. <em>Ah, there it is. Now…<em> Legs pressed against the railing, he leaned far… and, yes, the camera's lens was just able to penetrate that opening in the curtains. _Oh yeah. There they are._ He settled in to wait for the shots that would tell the story.

* * *

><p>"Hal. Look at what you're doing. This isn't like you." In some twisted way, bringing her here to Megamind's statue made sense. Not only could Hal hide in plain sight of the whole city, on the tribute to the very person who had changed his life and then humiliated him, but in some way he was going to make Megamind be present while he did whatever he was planning to do to her. And she was afraid she knew what that was. "You know this is wrong. Putting people's lives in danger wrecking a whole section of road just to – what? Kidnap me? Having to hide…" she gestured at the enormous drape around them.<p>

"Yeah! Thanks to you. And your stupid blue _boyfriend_," he motioned over his shoulder. "I have to hide like a… a common criminal!" The wide yet soft shoulders shrugged. The form of his body seemed to be halfway between his old and new self, just like his powers.

"You are a criminal! You tried to destroy the city. You tried to kill me. And Megamind."

"That should have made me a hero." He scowled. "You know, really this is your fault anyway. You did this to me, Roxanne."

"What?" Incredulous, she began to wonder if the change in DNA was affecting his brain as well. "How do you figure that? I didn't force you to do what you did."

"You made me think I wasn't good enough for you the way I was. No matter what I did or said or _anything_, you just pushed me away and acted like you just had nooo clue. I always tried so hard, Roxanne, but you ignored everything I did. So I figured I just had to try harder. But you did know, didn't you?" That was one thing he wanted to confirm. She hadn't been clueless. She'd been callous. When Roxanne said nothing, he asked, "Why else did Megamind chose me? He knew we would be the perfect couple."

Roxanne sighed. He was so fixated on that aspect of it all. "It wasn't that. You were just in the wrong place at the wrong time."

Hal looked skeptical. "Is that what he told you? 'Cause that'd be some coincidence. The guy who was crazy about you just happened to be picked to be the next super hero? I bet he was watching us all along. He could see it. Why couldn't you?" He actually looked so hurt for a moment it was pathetic. "I was gonna be exactly what you wanted. I could have been just like Metro Man. But for some reason, I still wasn't good enough. Not for you."

"Hal," Roxanne tried to explain. "There's something you need to know. Metro Man and I were never together."

"Oh yeah, right."

"No! I'm serious. Think about it," she said. "When did you ever see me… kiss him, for instance."

His eyes darted back and forth as he thought. "On the cheek! You did on the cheek!"

Roxanne rolled her eyes. "Yeah, ok. For photographs. After a rescue. But we never shared anything more than that. It was just part of the game. Giving the public what they wanted."

Eyes narrowed, he bridled skeptically as he listened. "I don't believe you."

"It's _true_."

"No. Because that kind of guy is what every woman wants."

Roxanne shook her head sadly. _How do you get through to someone with such fixed ideas that are so off_? "No. Not every woman does."

"That's why Megamind made me the way I am! So I could be your next boyfriend, and the game could continue. But!" he pointed at her angrily. "_You_ wouldn't play it right!"

"Megamind trained you to do good, so you could be the city's next defender and challenge him. It wasn't about me at all. Crazy as it sounds, he wanted someone to fight."

"What's a hero without a girl though? That was the whole reason I worked so hard." He pouted like a truculent child who refused to see sense. "And you still didn't want me. Why wasn't I good enough for you?"

_He's been rejected a lot_, she realized_. Just like Megs_. Some rational part of her mind grasped the significance of Megamind's ability to continually rebound from a life of rejection, using it to guide him toward what he mistakenly thought he was supposed to do, while here was Hal completely corrupted by it. "It's not like that, Hal. It's not about you being good enough for me. I'm sorry. Don't you see? We didn't click. We were never going to. Some people don't. But that's not your fault. It's just the way it is. I'm sure there are other women out there who-"

"Oh, but you 'clicked' with every other super-powered freak?" he interrupted angrily. "I mean, obviously that's what you like. First Metro Man. Now Megamind. I mean, come on… even Megamind?"

"Look, I already told you about Metro Ma-"

"Yeah, right. It's so wrong," he shook his head, and she could see he'd already made up his mind. As far as he was concerned she was being nothing but uncooperative and cruel. "I should have been next. So I'm back for what's mine. You did Metro Man-"

"No."

"-and now Megamind-"

"Hal."

"It's my turn," he demanded, walking toward her slowly, his face dark and determined.

_He seriously thinks this is something that's owed to him? For having super powers?_ Hands up, Roxanne backed as far from him as she could, feeling the surface begin to fall away from under her feet. "Stop," she begged, panicked as she glanced behind her. "Stop! Tell me what you want."

He paused, just out of reach, satisfied at seeing her trembling in the cool breeze that flapped at the edges of her skirt and alternately pressed her blouse against her body, then blew it away again. His eyes wandered over her, taut with fear, her reaction to the cold air swirling around them teasing him under the thin fabric of her top. His mouth twisted at one corner. "Strip."

* * *

><p>Pinky knew her mistress was in trouble. She'd received the same programming as all the other bots and had tried to tell Minion when she saw the man they'd been warned about, but her master's sidekick had only told her to stay with Roxanne. So she had followed them just as fast as she could. The man with the orange hair flew faster than she could and sometimes left her behind, but he had to stop at times and eventually she caught up to them. Seeing her lady starting to undo the buttons on her blouse, the little bot obediently zoomed away again.<p>

* * *

><p>Tom watched through the lens of his camera. Was Roxanne starting to undress? He inched forward, adjusting focal length in order to make sure he had the clearest view and snapped a couple of photographs, grimacing as the camera's soft clicking seemed magnified in the empty, echoing space. Hal paid no attention though, apparently focused entirely on what Roxanne was doing. <em>Can't blame him there<em>, Tom thought as he licked his lips and refocused again.

* * *

><p>"Hal, this isn't right. Super powers don't entitle you to anything." Roxanne's hands were shaking as she fumbled the buttons of her shirt as slowly as possible. "Deep down, I'm sure you know that. You were never this way before."<p>

His eyes were fixed on her fingers. "Well, I am now. If I can't be the hero and have you that way, I'll be the villain and have you anyway. Isn't that what Megamind did? Heck, now that I'm the villain, maybe you'll change your mind about me too."

"He never forced himself on me. I could trust him at least that much," she argued. "I used to think I could trust you too." She knew that wasn't entirely true, but it seemed wise to let him think she had thought better of him than he was acting now.

"Yeah well, people change. And when you treat them like dirt, they change for the worse." He scowled at her slow pace. "You're stalling." Grabbing the front of her blouse, he pulled it open himself, buttons flying here and there. With a smirk, he leaned back and looked over his handiwork. "That's more like it! Wow, nice rack, Roxanne." His chuckle made her shiver. "And I've been waiting a long time to see it!"

Roxanne tried to step back, but there was nowhere further to go except down. "Hal, don't do this."

He loomed closer, recognizing in her fear a power he finally had over her. "Too late to stop me." One hand shot out and snagged her waist, making her take a step too far back. Feeling her foot begin to slip, her reaction was to lurch toward him, grabbing at his sweatshirt. "See? I knew a little naughtiness was all you needed to make you change your mind. You really have a thing for bad boys, huh? Won't be long and you'll get tired of Megamind too. He's turned into such a wuss." He let his hand relax until it was barely holding her, letting her feel gravity drawing her back over the edge, making her clutch at his shirt as she looked back and gasped. With his other hand he started lifting the edge of her skirt. "And when you are finally bored with him – you can come to me." He took another step toward her.

"Hal! Stop! I'm going to fall!" Torn between sickening revulsion as he began to grope at her leg and her terror of plummeting to her death, she felt as though she might lose her mind having to press herself against someone who was intent on assaulting her.

"I won't let you fall," he laughed, his hand sliding up and squeezing painfully hard. "I'm not done with you yet."

Feeling his fingers groping further, she reached down to grapple with him, still holding onto his shirt. Every time she tried to push his hand away, he pressed her back toward the edge and she was forced to lean into him to keep from falling. "Stop it! Stop!"

But he only laughed, knowing the powers were strong enough at the moment to allow him to do whatever he wanted.

Then she thought of her new weapon. _If I fall, I fall… but I can't take this. _Reaching down and drawing it from the holster on her opposite side, she quickly brought the pistol up in the narrow space between them, shoving the tip hard under his chin.

For a moment Hal stopped, his face gone blank, unsure of what she might be holding. Then he remembered seeing the little gun and relaxed. "What are you gonna do, Roxanne? Dehydrate me?" He backed away from her a few paces, watching as she stepped forward from her precarious position with the pistol pointed right at him. Her open shirt flapped in the moist air that heralded the rain that would soon come. "Go ahead and try." Once more he hovered above the statue they stood on, waiting, smiling condescendingly at her useless efforts to protect herself.

She pushed the windblown hair out of her eyes with cold and shaky fingers, trying to think of what she should do. Could she leap for the statue's arm and slide down it? She wasn't sure she could make herself do it and it looked too far away, and anyway he could just fly down and grab her again. Judging from his reaction, her gun probably wouldn't affect him, but at least it had bought her some time and some space. Why had Megamind given her a weapon that couldn't be used against her biggest threat though?

"Go ahead! Didn't you ever wonder why Megamind never just dehydrated Metro Man to stop him?"

"He'll be here soon anyway."

"Yeah, right. He doesn't know where we are. Heck, he probably doesn't even know you're gone yet." Hal dropped to his feet. "I saw you two lovebirds arguing today. Geez, aren't you ever satisfied with anybody? And I saw the look on his face. Gotta hand it to you. You can really tear a guy up! _And_ I heard you tell him not to worry about you anymore." Seeing Roxanne startled by how much he knew, he started toward her again with a confident swagger. "It was perfect! So you really think he's gonna get here in time?" He gave a short laugh at the idea. "I'm kinda doubting it. He's pretty busy at the moment anyway." His face hardened. "And we're _not_ going to send a broadcast to tell him where we are like we did last time."

He moved forward and then side to side with an amused grin, matching her movements as she tried to take a sideways path around him, their eyes locked. Trying to step back just a little, her foot slipped down too far, making her wobble. Suddenly Hal reached out and grabbed her arms, pulling her roughly toward him. He pressed his mouth against hers viciously, her forearms crushed against his chest, until something soft was dropped over his head and at the same time, Roxanne pulled the trigger, not knowing or caring where her weapon was pointed.

"What the-?" Hal staggered back in alarm as he felt the zap, pulling the unexpected material from his face at the same time.

Pinky hovered near Roxanne, her glowing red eye watching the man who held the replacement she'd brought for her mistress's damaged wardrobe.

Confused, he looked at the shirt in his hand and then glanced down at himself. His cold smile returned, and he threw the blouse aside before moving toward her again. "See? Nothing. Told ya it wouldn't work."

Pinky turned to fly off again, seeing the clothing fall to the ground. "Pinky! Stay!" Roxanne commanded.

Hal's face became much angrier as he reached for the pistol. "Give it to me."

Roxanne fired again, point blank to his chest. The recoil of the close range blast pushed her back just enough so she lost her footing and fell with a scream.

* * *

><p>Tom watched everything with greedy eagerness, clicking photos busily, edging closer and closer to the curtain until he was half leaning over the railing with his gut pressed against it. Once his hand strayed toward his cell phone, thinking of calling someone for help, but the drama playing out before him kept him riveted. He'd be able to set any price he wanted for these photographs.<p>

* * *

><p>Hal tried to look over the edge of the statue. The curvature of the head prevented him from seeing what had happened to her, but her scream had been cut off very quickly. <em>Huh. I figured it'd take longer than that for her to fall.<em> Just as he was about to go down to inspect the wreckage of her body, a jolt of energy hit him. This one he could tell was different. It sent him stumbling back and… it actually hurt.

"Ow…" He looked at the charred hole in his smoking sweatshirt, his skin underneath exposed but still unscarred.

Megamind rose slowly into sight lifted by four brainbots, the de-gun in one hand and Roxanne held tightly to his side with the other. The black look of wrath on his face gave Hal a fleeting sense of panic, but his inflated ego swelled again quickly. "Back to try again, huh?"

"Back to win again."

"Doesn't matter! You're the hero now, remember? You can't kill me, and since I'm the villain, I'll keep coming back! Just like you always did."

The green eyes practically glowed as he pulled the trigger again. "Unless I make a mistake. Some regrettable error. It's happened before." The blast from the larger revolver sent Hal staggering backward, a look of surprise on his face as he viewed another hole burned in his sweatshirt. "I'm not sure I know what the de-gun's set on right now. And I can't take my eyes off of you to check. But I know exactly what's happening inside you, Hal."

Megamind fired again as the brainbots lowered him and Roxanne down onto the statue. The bolt of energy drove his opponent back again, away from them and closer to the opposite edge. "Your powers keep coming and going, don't they? Sooner or later, they'll fail."

Roxanne griped at the insignia on his chest, watching in horror and fascination as the first signs of fear showed in Hal's eyes, knowing Megamind was right. He tripped backward from the force of another blast of blue energy. "And when they do, the next hit just might be the end of all my troubles with you."

She looked away from Hal into Megamind's face set with murderous intent as he held her tightly to his side, almost unaware of her presence anymore. He was focused entirely on the man who had foolishly tried to take her away from him yet again. And Hal was beginning to show signs of wear from the rays that kept coming over and over, as Megamind watched with calculating intent, timing the blasts perfectly, keeping him away but never pushing him over the edge. _He knows what it's set on… he wants to see him die._ "Megs." The word came out almost in a whisper. She didn't understand why that black look on his face excited her as much as it scared her.

He turned to look at her keeping the gun trained on his opponent who had dropped to his knees with a painful grimace. The darkness of his expression cleared a little as he saw her hesitate, try to speak, realized_…_ "You don't want me to kill him."

_Don't ask him to second-guess himself_, Dr. Morrow has said. About to speak, Roxanne stared at her defender, waiting on her word to act or hold back. _He has to be free to decide for himself_. Finally, she quietly told him, "Do what you have to do."

They stared at each other a moment longer before they heard, "Wow…" Hal was getting up. "Don't hurt him!" he mocked in a girly voice, his eyes rolling as he clasped his hands together over his charred shirt. "You are one whipped puppy, Mini-brain. Turning good's made you soft already? That was fast." He sneered. "Of course if you stay with _her_ long enough, she might end up making you turn bad again. But I think I like being the villain. Seeing as how now you have to obey the law. But not me." He pointed at Roxanne, expecting the new hero to admit the subtle defeat. "And she'll never be safe from me again."

The brows dropped ominously. "That was the wrong thing to say." Another blast of energy from the decorated revolver hit Hal in the chest. He was sick and tired and utterly fed up with people mistreating Roxanne because of _him_. "You never could banter, Hal. No subtlety." _Blast_. "You know, I wasn't sure I could even be a hero." _Blast_. "And right now it doesn't matter what they think I am," the annoyed alien fired grimly, still holding Roxanne tight, "or how much they think I've changed." _Blast_. "Right now, you're making it abundantly clear that there's still enough evil left in me that I'm willing to take my chances with the law in order to see you _dead_."

Roxanne swallowed hard. She felt sick, whether from shock setting in after Hal's assault or from worry that she might be about to witness her defender blow his rotten creation and his chance to change his life to bits, she didn't know. But she had to admit she felt the same way he did… she just really didn't want lose him to prison again.

"Heroes don't kill people!" Hal protested, a touch of desperation in his voice.

"Exactly." Jaw set, he pulled the trigger again.

Pressing her face between the black collar and the warm blue skin that smelled of him and leather, dust from the overpass and adrenaline, she made up her mind. She wasn't going to do anything further to influence his decision and whatever he did… she would back him up. Feeling her head fall against his neck, he glanced at her to see if she was all right.

Suddenly she fell hard onto the concrete with a startled cry as she was torn from his grasp. Looking up, she saw Megamind's neck enclosed in Hal's beefy fist, his own hands around the man's wrist as his feet kicked a foot above the surface of the statue they stood on. He was clearly struggling to breathe as Hal sneered angrily up into the blue face.

"_You_ made me this way! And _she_… she made me bad!" Giving his arm a shake, he watched the slender body freely sway with malicious satisfaction. A steady drizzle began to fall from the sky, lightly at first, then harder, wetting everything. Pinky and the other bots hovered nearer seeing their master in trouble. Roxanne saw the de-gun on the ground where it had fallen, the filigree glinting in the rain. She slowly reached for it and pulled the revolver into her lap, glancing down. _De-stroy_.

Hal paid no attention to her. "So first, I'm going to do this city a favor and get rid of you. I'll hang you up like a… like a big sign to show everybody how wrong they were. Yeah! Right on this statue. What a nice surprise when they open the curtains. Roxanne can watch me do it… then I'll get rid of her too." He pulled the choking alien a little closer in order to grind out menacingly between his teeth, ignoring the weakening kicks aimed at his gut. "But not before I get what I wanted from her in the first place."

They were too close together. If she missed and hit Megamind… she turned the selector to de-hydration as raindrops began to drip down her hair. _They're touching. Will it dehydrate them both? As one cube or two? How will I get them apart?_ She saw Megamind's eyes roll back painfully as he clutched helplessly at Hal's arm. _Just do it! _

Still seated, she lifted the gun in both hands and carefully took aim, but a strange chittering noise startled all of them. One very agitated red squirrel suddenly popped out of Megamind's cape, ran up Hal's arm, across his chest, and onto the back of his head. With a high-pitched scream Hal dropped his victim and scrabbled for the furry attacker instead, making it dig its little claws in to hang on tighter until finally it bit him. Hal shrieked and stumbled backward, wide-eyed and frantic at seeing blood on the back of one hand, clawing blindly at the back of his neck with the other. "Get it off!"

_Blood. He felt that._ Roxanne fired the de-gun but missed as Hal rapidly backed up, trying to get away somehow from the rodent still chattering in his ear. He was about to go over the edge. "Stop!" She scrambled to her feet and ran toward him just as fell backward, eyes wide and arms waving wildly. As she neared the edge herself, she pulled the trigger again. "Pinky! Fetch!"

The rain-slick surface and her momentum carried her over the side of the statue almost at the same moment the pink bot flew past her to race for the blue cube. Turning and landing on her hip as she tried to stop, she slid down the curving surface too fast, scrabbling at the concrete but finding nothing to grab onto… until at the last second something grabbed onto her.

Megamind dived across the statue's head and grasped the tips of Roxanne's fingers, barely stopping her. They lay flat on their stomachs, arms outstretched and straining, staring silently at each other with wide eyes. He grimaced as he inched forward and quickly made a grab to get a more secure hold on her hands. "Hang on."

"Well, I'm not letting go!"

"Brainbots!" Two blue bots clamping onto his boots, gradually pulling both of them backward to safety. As he felt himself gain level ground again, he hauled her up the rest of the way by his own strength, pulling her closer until she was wrapped securely in his tight embrace. They sat breathing heavily, Roxanne trying to choke back sobs as Megamind coughed involuntarily, still feeling the pressure at his throat. "You're ok. It's ok."

Roxanne looked up into his face, tears beginning to stream down her cheeks, mixing with the rainy drizzle still falling. "I dropped the de-gun," she admitted. "And I… I don't think I got the squirrel."

He looked at her incredulously for a moment. "You don't think you…" Then he began laughing and hugged her tighter, rocking back and forth.

Pinky rose up in the air beside them, Hal's cube clasped in her pincers and sheltered from the rain under the round dome of her body.

"Well done! What a good little cyborg you are!" Reaching to pat her affectionately, he took the glowing shape and quickly stowed it under his cape. Next two blue bots appeared, one carrying his weapon and the other with a slightly stunned red squirrel dangling by the scruff of its neck. Megamind stifled a chuckle at seeing it. "You've had a rough day, little guy. And I'm sorry to tell you it's not over quite yet." He quickly dehydrated the tiny terror and told the bot carrying it to take it back to the zoo.

"Poor thing," Roxanne commented as she watched them go. "I feel like we owe it more than that."

Megamind only smiled to himself, turning the revolver's cylinder. Then he pulled back his cape and fired at the cube before Roxanne could say a word.

She gasped. What was he doing? She stared uncomprehending at the gelatinous goo now dimming the blue glow, then glanced at the gun in his hand. It still took a few moments before what he'd done sunk in. "Oh… that's what de-coupage is for."

"Yes," he admitted, directing one of the bots with a motion of his finger to hover over the cube, protecting it from being washed clean by the rain before the glue set. "That's what it's for."

"So the rain won't-"

He re-holstered the gun and stood, taking her hand to help her up. "Are you all right?"

There was a throbbing ache in one hip where she had fallen and the other side burned where Hal had grabbed her hard. It was going to have an impressive bruise. She felt sick and dizzy and shaken to her core, but all she could do, staring into the worried green eyes and watching the rain slide down his blue skin before collecting in a drop that fell from the black goatee was nod mutely.

"Roxanne…" he asked again more gravely, his eyes solemn. "Did he hurt you?"

_I don't want to break down. And he's angry enough. I can be strong… I can be strong… I can…_ Her thoughts seemed to echo hollowly as she felt her face start to crumple and her vision swam. She threw herself into his arms again.

_I should have killed him. I wish I had._ He kept his dark thoughts to himself as he bent his head to her shoulder and held her as close as he could. _How will I ever be a hero?_ The rain stopped as suddenly as it started, but he pulled the cape around them both like a cocoon, and they stood silent and still, tightly clasped together.

Click.

His head snapped upright, feeling a surge of adrenaline at the nearly inaudible sound. He waited. Nothing stirred but the blood pounding in his ears.

Click.

"Brainbots." The blue bots plus Pinky hovered close as Roxanne wearily lifted her head from his neck again. He quietly told them what he wanted before giving one emotionless command. "Fetch."

* * *

><p>Tom had just decided it was time to leave. He had all the photos he wanted, and what a story they told. Even better, what a story he could make them tell. The slightly guilty feeling that had nagged him annoyingly disappeared once he saw Roxanne pulled back to safety on the statue's head. <em>Just a couple more shots –the two of them wrapped up together in his cape, how perfect – and I'm out of here<em>. He stepped off the railing, pulling his camera's long lens back from the opening in the curtains, feeling the stiffness in his legs. He'd been perched there a long time watching, but it had been worth it.

A faint metallic barking tipped him off that he might have stayed too long, and the sudden appearance of the glowing metal cyborgs flying around the curtain and bearing down on him, metal jaws clanging together and pincers snapping, almost made him drop his camera. He panicked and turned to run. How had they found him? Sprinting for the elevator, he could hear the bowgs getting louder, closer. With a cry of fear, he slammed into the closed doors and banged his hand on the button frantically, looking back over his shoulder. Too late. He spun around and threw an arm up over his face.

* * *

><p>Megamind stood waiting as the small brainbot crew rose back up to the top of the statue with a struggling Tom Raines hanging between them. "Put me down! I'm going to sue! I'll-"<p>

"Shut up."

The tabloid journalist was unceremoniously dropped, suddenly silenced by the cold green eyes glittering at him. His Adam's apple bobbed, watching the pink bot drop his camera into her master's outstretched hand. Megamind's eyes never left his, and Roxanne stood just behind him, holding the cape he'd taken off closely around herself.

Finally turning his gaze from Tom, he looked down at the camera's small screen and began to quickly scan through the digital images it contained. Roxanne watched over his shoulder, seeing the photographic record of her harrowing experience, realizing that Tom had observed it all, taken photos… done nothing. She was horrified, hardly believing even he was capable of being so mercenary.

As Megamind saw the extent of everything that had happened, knowing Tom had watched it all, his jaw clenched, tensing over and over. The leather of his gloves made a creaking noise as his fingers tightened.

"Don't you break that! That's private property."

Slowly he looked back up at the man who had now stood taller, visibly trying to regain his dignity. He handed the camera back to Roxanne. "We're not going to destroy it. Not a single photograph. And if anyone chooses to press charges, I'm sure it will be Ms Ritchie."

"I haven't done anything wrong," Tom asserted, lifting his chin defiantly. "There's no law that says you have to report witnessing a crime. But taking other people's property _is_ a crime!"

Slowly Megamind walked toward the man, tenting his fingers at his lips as he tried very hard to maintain control. Anger burned in his chest, worse than it had when he'd confronted Hal. Hal had had his reasons, misguided as they were, for hating them. Why did Tom Raines continue to pursue and persecute them, especially Roxanne, like this? All of the hurt and frustrations he'd felt from the senseless injustices he'd suffered from his earliest days on Earth seemed to be boiling up inside him, threatening to overwhelm his ability to act rationally. He didn't want to act rationally.

As a child he'd felt so helpless in the face of his classmates taunts and abuse, unable to convince them not to hate him and unable retaliate or end up suffering even more humiliation at the teacher's hand. In the prison's hierarchical system, he'd at least been able to hold his own against attacks and finally worked his way to the top. And once he'd escaped to assume his role as Metrocity's super villain, he finally had free reign to get back at everyone who had seemed to want to hold him down all his life. Which seemed to be everyone. But now as a hero, he once again felt his hands tied, the law that he was supposed to uphold now preventing him from dealing out justice as he saw fit. The irony of it almost made him laugh bitterly.

Roxanne stood where she was, holding the camera in one hand and the cape closed with the other, seeing him struggle. Part of her very much wanted to see Megamind lose his temper.

"Crime-schmime," he finally began, more casually than either observer expected. "They may want to make me Metrocity's new defender… but you and I both know, _Tom_," he spat out the name as though it disgusted him and began to pace closely around his captive. "We _both_ _know_… that I will _never_ be completely reformed." His voice dropped lower as he stopped just behind the reporter's left shoulder and hissed, "Isn't that so?"

"I, uh…" Tom looked at Roxanne who stared back emotionlessly.

"Oh… suddenly you don't know? Let me assure you then," Megamind continued. "It's true." He slowly began to pace again. "No matter how hard I try to be good… I simply can't seem to rid myself of this _black_ core of e-vil… that makes me want to do terrible things… really wicked, cruel things…" He stopped in front of his captive. "To _worms_…. like _you_." The green eyes looked the man up and down with contempt. "Worms that prey on people in their most dire need."

Tom swallowed again and, although taller than the blue alien before him, he seemed to shrink in on himself until their heights were reversed.

"You see," Megamind added as though patiently explaining a very simple concept to someone very stupid. "This is why I need Roxanne's help." He turned to gesture with one long hand toward the woman wrapped in his cape who had been through so much that day, his expression softening as saw how pale her face was. "She's… amazing," he said, ignoring the man he was directing his soliloquy toward. "I've never known anyone so good. She sees things differently than other people do. She sees me differently…" Calmer now, he seemed to involuntarily draw closer to her until he could put his hands gently on her arms, looking intently in her eyes. Tom began to back away but a quick snap of a cyborg's jaws put him in his place again. "She's changed my life."

As Roxanne slowly smiled at him, their faces drew together in a gentle kiss. Then remembering Tom was being forced to watch, one hand snuck out of the cape and pulled his face close again so she could kiss him longer. They were lost in the moment, strange as it was, for a while as the stunned reporter looked on, until they reluctantly parted. Megamind lifted a hand to caress her face, asking almost too quietly for Tom to hear, "How could you have just stood there and watched all of that?" Finally he looked over to glower at the man, his eyes narrowing as he asked incredulously, "What could you possibly have against her?"

Tom straightened then, sticking his hands in his pockets, and sniffed. "Ask _her_."

Megamind quickly glanced at Roxanne and saw her eyes turn hard with some past hurt. _There's something there_. Tom immediately found his lapels in the grasp of two leather gloves, eyeball to eyeball with the angry blue alien.

"She's off limits to you from now on. No pictures. No stories. No contact of any kind. Zip, zero, nada."

"Or what? What are you going to do about it, _hero_?" Tom sneered, looking the slender man up and down. "As if anyone could believe that title could ever apply to you. Anything happens to me, and everybody in the city will know who did it. I'll make sure of that."

Megamind paused thoughtfully. "Oh dear. I wouldn't want my stellar image sullied." Slowly he loosened his grip on the man's shirtfront. "What would everyone think of me? Tsk, tsk!" Assuming an exaggerated expression of concern, he smoothed the fabric back into place with unnecessary pressure, forcing Tom to brace himself so he wouldn't be pushed backward, "Unless…it looks like an _accident_." He glanced sharply into Tom's face with a thin, crooked smile. "I'm pretty good at those. Years of practice, you know."

"They'll still know," Tom repeated, visibly less certain.

"Hmm… highly unlikely. But we can test it out if you like." He grinned at the man coldly. "I really don't mind."

"Look," Tom said, crossing his arms like a petulant child. "I want down. Get me off of here. You can't hold me against my will."

"That, _Tom_," Megamind again made the name seem utterly disgusting, "Is up to Roxanne."

"What? Why does she get to decide? Roxanne, if you don't tell him-"

A sudden punch to the jaw sat him down hard. Stunned, he saw one long, black-gloved finger pointing in his face as a low growling voice warned, "Don't speak to her again. I warned you."

Tom blinked rapidly and shook his head but couldn't quite clear it. He heard Megamind ask, "What'll it be?"

Roxanne answered quietly, "Oh, I have an idea…"

Although he didn't know it, Tom was once again a blue cube.

* * *

><p>Cold and wet, the unhappy tabloid journalist sat glowering, knees drawn up to his chin and one arm wrapped tightly around the base of the radio antenna on the top of Metro City Tower. He'd awakened to the feeling of water dribbling over his head, and at first he thought of his camera man and the way he'd been rehydrated outside Roxanne's apartment. "All right! I'm here, you idiot!"<p>

Then he'd opened his eyes and found himself very much alone. And in a very unfamiliar place. He looked around slowly, head in the clouds in more ways than one. "No..." In disbelief, he realized where he was and had begun desperately shouting for help.

That had been at least two hours ago. Closer to three, he thought, looking at his watch. _They must be stopping anyone from hearing me... or something... somehow_. Morosely he tried to wipe the rain from his face again, but there was no dry area left anywhere on him so the water simply smeared around. He sniffed, shoulders hunched miserably, feeling sorry for himself. It had continued to rain the entire time, and he was wondering if he was going to have to spend the night camped out and cramped up on the small platform. He imagined falling asleep and rolling over the edge and swallowed hard. Voice nearly gone, he was about to resume his hopeless task of trying to get some attention from someone, anyone at all, when he thought he spied a figure floating through the mist and clouds toward him.

Squinting ahead, he peered at the blurry shape until it gradually moved closer and resolved into a well-known personage... The reporter's mouth dropped open like a cartoon character's.

"Hey, there." One corner of Wayne's mouth curled up in his characteristically smarmy smile. Hovering near the edge of the tower's top without alighting on it, he folded his arms. "Tom Raines, I assume?"

"Yuh." Tom continued to stare in disbelief at the presumedly dead hero.

Wayne's smile spread wider. "A couple friends of mine asked me to stop by and check on you. I'm guessing you'd like a lift down now."

"I thought you were dead," Tom croaked.

"Everybody says that." Wayne floated closer finally and landed. "And as far as you're concerned, I am." He shrugged. "You could tell everybody I'm not. That you've seen me. But that'd kind of shoot your stories about Megamind and Roxanne all to hell, wouldn't it?"

Tom continued to stare, his mouth still open.

"If I were you," Wayne added in a conspiratorial tone, "I'd find somebody new to pick on now. I spent years giving Megamind grief, and he took it pretty well, all things considered. But if you're going to keep going after Roxanne?" He shook his head. "Not wise, my friend. Don't rattle that dog's chain. Even I wouldn't do it."

Blinking, Tom finally looked away from the huge man and around himself as though he wondered if he had grown delusional from the altitude or the cold or...

Wayne huffed in amusement and bent to pick him up like a child. "Just keep that advice in mind. Now, let's get you down." Plummeting over the edge in a free fall, he grinned to himself mischievously as he listened to Tom hollering in alarm.


	33. Temptations

_Cripes. This chapter ended up being so long I decided to find a likely place to break it and post the two halves separately. Coming down the home stretch now, kiddos. Just working around to clearing up the last lingering doubts and bringing our two lovebirds together at last. So on with it._

_And don't forget to review (both, if you want)! ~thank you~_

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><p>Pulling up to the overpass, they spotted Minion on the spider-bot busily dehydrating debris which a steady stream of brainbots carted away as manageably sized blue pieces.<p>

"I'll be right back," Megamind said as he got out of the car, flipping the invisibility switch on. Roxanne stayed where she was. Despite the continued presence of the police and firefighters and news crews, the scene seemed calmer than when they'd left. Fewer spectators stood around as the day came to a close, the light fading early as the sky remained dark and low.

A reporter spotted Megamind striding across the street and ran to be the first to intercept him, cameraman in tow. Soon he was at the center of a small mob pressing in from all sides, pushing their microphones into his face while shouting questions. Cameras flashed and spotlights were directed into his eyes, nearly blinding him. _Ah, fame_, he thought, _you fickle food_. He pushing his way through with a half-hearted smile and a few words to placate them, then leaped nimbly up onto the spider-bot behind his sidekick.

"Minion."

"Sir!" Pausing in his work, the worried fish was visibly relieved to see his boss. "You're back! Is everyone ok?" He looked his friend over discreetly, pleased to see no obvious signs of injury.

"Yes. I have Roxanne." He was about to add that she was fine, but remembering how dazed she looked, he wasn't actually sure. He'd never seen her have such a reaction. Not after any of his plans. Then again, he was always back in prison. Had he caused her this kind of trauma too? "And Hal is out of commission." As Minion gave a little cheer for his victory, Megamind thought of the cube encased in its clear protective coating resting on the dashboard of the car where he'd tossed it. "We're going to return him to the warden if you can spare me. How's it going?"

"Everything's under control. All of the injured have been taken care of, and we're just clearing this up so we can start rebuilding. Don't worry about us." A unit of brainbots flew by on some mission they'd been given, crossing paths with another group bringing in building materials.

He felt a sense of relief like a weight lifting from his shoulders. "Well done, Minion. Sorry to leave you again, but I'll be back as soon as I can. And I'll fill you in on all the details then."

"No rush, Sir. A few people from the city engineer's office showed up too." He indicated a couple of men in hardhats talking near the pile of new materials the bots were carefully lowering to the ground. "They have the specifications I need to follow, so we'll manage just fine until you get back." He was itching to ask questions about the confrontation with Hal but knew it would have to wait. "The reporters have been wanting to question me about Hal. I guess the news of his escape got out. But the police have helped hold them off and once I had the brainbots bring spidey here, they sort of gave up trying. I think they're a little afraid of him." He looked down at the newshounds gathered around below them, filming, making notes, biding their time. "And, um… how is Ms Ritchie?"

"She's ok." He opened his mouth to add more but stopped. "She's safe now."

"I can't wait to hear all about it!" Minion smiled broadly. He nodded confidently to his blue friend who had saved the day and his damsel once again. "I knew you could do it, Sir!"

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><p>Roxanne sat watching Megamind and Minion conferring together, trying to ignore her sickly weariness and glad that Megamind had had the forethought to hide her from the mob gathered around them. In her peripheral vision the cube faintly scintillated, drawing her attention, its edges becoming crisp and clear as her eyes shifted toward it. Slowly she reached up and pulled it off the dashboard, holding it gingerly between her fingertips. She knew her anxiety that it might suddenly, inexplicably reconstitute was unwarranted, but that didn't lessen the sense of loathing she felt as she stared at the glow that seemed to pulse with the life contained inside it.<p>

_He's in there_. She stared. _Hal. Titan. Tighten. _The name echoed in her thoughts hollowly. How had that annoying butterball fallen so low, become so evil? Or had he always been? Would he always be from now on?_ He can't stay in there forever._

She thought about what he'd done to her, his threats to come back. Fear rushed through her again in another cascade of adrenaline, leaving her even more jumped up and at the same time more tired... Would Megamind really be able to stop it all from happening again? Her lips tightened until her mouth set in a grim line. Flexing her fingers, her pink polished nails dug into the cube with no effect. It barely felt solid, more of a force pushing back against her like the resistance of a magnet to a similar pole. She wished she could squeeze it. Scratch it, leave marks in it. Scar it. For some reason she was sure that would have made her feel better. Take away some of the vulnerability she felt.

At the moment, Hal was the helpless one, oblivious in his suspended state… at her mercy… the tables turned. Her eyes drifted sideways to the de-gun lying on the seat where Megamind had laid it after pulling it from his thigh holster. After entrusting Tom's cube to a brainbot and watching it rise quickly to the top of Metro City Tower, they had gotten back into the car, out of the rain, and she'd slid over on the seat to sit shivering close by his side.

Her free hand strayed down, closer to the beautifully decorated weapon, hesitating as her fingertips brushed the cold metal… then smoothly her hand slid between it and the leather seat. She lifted it, noticing the setting. _De-hydration_. Sitting there staring at it, her mind seemed to go blank… She was only aware of her breathing and the weight of the weapon in her hand, solid and substantial…. deadly. Power… and the weightless nothing of the cube in her other hand…

Her thumb slipped along the cylinder's edge, catching at it as though she only meant to caress its curved surface… then pressing harder she turned it… _De-stroy_. Seconds seemed to tick away with the thud of her heartbeat in her ears, her face blank. Her fingers closed around the revolver's handle… a little tighter, her index finger slipping into place alongside the trigger. Her chest rose and fell slowly. She felt very calm. All she was aware of was the gun in one hand and the cube in her other hand and the heavy beating of her heart.

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><p>Getting back into the car, Megamind saw Roxanne holding the de-gun in her lap and frowned slightly. "Doing ok?"<p>

She barely glanced at the blue cube back on the dash and put the gun down beside her again. "Yeah. I'm fine."

On the way to the prison he continued to glance at her, noting how very quiet she was as she once again sat close beside him, pressed against his side, obviously needing comfort. He'd turned up the heater to help dry them out and to help her shakiness. Although Pinky had been sent to retrieve yet another change of clothing, she had seemed happy to keep his cape wrapped around her as well. _ She's having a stress reaction_. "Roxanne-"

Eyes glazed, she asked out of the blue, "What happened to Sully? I didn't see him around."

"Oh. I, uh, took care of him before I came to find you. He… had a head injury, and the paramedics took him to St. Vincent's, Minion told me."

"Oh." _So Hal found him before he found me_. "I should go see him." Megamind was assuring her they would check on him later, but she barely heard him. She'd never felt so weary and so guilty. She turned to look at him, watching him drive, and thinking… practically able to see the bruise forming just under his jaw line in the shape of Hal's thumb. _The other side will be worse… four fingers over there. And it's my fault. He was right. If I hadn't been so careless… less stubborn… only thinking about my career… neither of us would have gone through all that._

"Roxanne?" he asked again, his voice very quiet as he glanced at her with even more obvious concern. "I want David to look at you when we get to the prison. Or," he took a deep breath, hardly able to believe he was about to offer this, "I can take you to a hospital if you want."

"I don't need to go to a hospital. And I'm sure David will have all kinds of things to say to me." Leaning her head against his shoulder, she closed her eyes and tried to let herself just stop thinking and be soothed by his nearness and the car's warmth.

They fell silent until the concrete building loomed before them, its stark lighting glaring in the dark. Parking and turning the car off, he turned to her. She was watching him. "What is it?"

With a weak smile, she said, "I was just thinking how proud I am of you."

Giving a quiet huff, he shrugged and asked, "Why? I nearly blew it. It's really a good thing you were there."

"Megs…"

"No, it's true." He squinted in dismay. "We were saved by a _squirrel_. A squirrel! Hal nearly killed both of us."

"Which was my fault. You had to leave the real emergency to pull my fat out of the fire again. And then I distracted you. If I'd listened to you-"

"No," he interrupted. "Don't ever think it was your fault that Hal targeted you. That's just wrong."

"But if I had done what you asked… if I hadn't been so hard-headed…" She thought of what she'd said to him just before Hal had showed up and sighed. "Look, I just fight back when someone pushes me because I don't like being told what to do."

"Well, I should never have asked you to step back from doing what you love. But I did. I did because I was afraid of what might happen to you." He grimaced. "What kind of hero tries to tell the people who depend on him to stop getting in trouble?" He knew all about blaming the victim. That nasty teacher he'd suffered under for such a brief but harsh time had taught him how unjust that was.

Roxanne thought of the times Wayne had privately groused about the citizens of Metro City always getting into the same fixes over and over again. She smiled a little, but Megamind's shoulders slumped as he thought aloud. "I'll never stop worrying about you, but that's not your problem. I want you to do your job to the best of your ability," he said, looking over at her, "and I'll do my best to keep you safe. No matter what. But, Roxanne… maybe it's true. Maybe I'm not… hero material." Appealing to her, he admitted, "Because... I really wanted to kill him." Then he thought of Tom coldly taking photos of her being attacked. "I wanted to kill them both."

Staring at each other a moment, he saw her suddenly lean forward and grab the cube off the dashboard. She thrust it into his hand. "Go ahead. You still can. Nobody'll know. Get rid of him. _Destroy_ him."

He stared at her. Was she serious? "Don't tempt me." He paused, but she was still waiting, watching him. _Could I really do that? Even if she wanted me to? _He frowned, confused by his own hesitation.

As though reading his thoughts, her face relaxed into a wry smile. "I'm not worried about tempting you. You're not even considering it, I can tell. Kill someone in cold blood?" She shook her head. "You wouldn't." She added, "You've never wanted to hurt anyone who didn't deserve some kind of punishment."

"What about you?"

"You never hurt me."

"Wayne? The entire city?"

"People treated you terribly. Prison... School... And I blame Wayne almost more than anyone else!"

Eyes shifting as he thought rapidly, he said, "How do you know? How can you be so sure I'm not some monster deep down inside?"

_How can he even say that?_ she thought. "Because." She reached beside her again for his weapon. "I've seen monsters." Picking up his hand and turning it over, she pressed the revolver into his palm, her hand still covering it. She looked up into the greenest eyes she'd ever known, watching her with a kind of innocent trust she wasn't used to seeing grown men show. "And you keep proving over and over that you're not. But the evidence of what _is_ inside you has been there all along."

She saw him look down at their hands as she gently pulled her fingers back, drawing them lightly over the selector cylinder sporting so many options besides 'de-stroy' and the filigreed details he'd been adding from his childhood, gliding over the raised metal with her fingertips. "You can do this," she encouraged him sincerely.

Even as she watched, he seemed to sit up straighter, one corner of his mouth betraying the beginnings of a smile. There was so much more she wanted to say to him, but her thinking was getting muddled. She was so tired. It would have to wait.

Megamind's fingers closed over the de-gun and holstered it smoothly as Roxanne's hand withdrew into her lap. He held up the cube that was Hal. "Let's get this thing inside."

_Yeah_, she thought, _before I take it back and destroy him myself_.

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><p>Dr. David Morrow stood watching Megamind explaining the actions of the newly refitted cell that had formerly been his home and would now be Hal's. He had actually been quite surprised, even a little dismayed to see the pair walk in to the Warden's office, Roxanne in the long black cape looking like she could collapse at any moment and Megamind grimly carrying the blue cube that contained his enemy as he strode along smartly, one arm supporting the lady he'd obviously rescued again.<p>

He figured immediately that she had not listened to him. She had probably said something that stopped Megamind from destroying the nasty pudgy man, interrupting the process of him ridding them forever of the threat that now they'd have niggling at the backs of their minds. His fingers tapped along one sleeve impatiently as he stood, arms folded, watching and listening as the slender alien tried to explain to the warden the modifications he'd made to the cell which had originally been designed to monitor his complex brain activity and hence try to predict his escapes.

"So these…rays? They only interrupt the bond formed by the third strand of DNA, the super strand? It's not going to affect his human DNA's… uh…"

"The integrity of the double helix. No, it shouldn't," Megamind assured Warden Doyle who was trying very hard to follow along. "It's a very specific and limited range of radiation. Something common on earth anyway and basically harmless to human physiology. You see, the only way to attach Metro Man's genetic material to Hal's in his characteristic triple helix, and to ensure I could undo it again if necessary, was to coax it to affix there using an entirely different set of enzymes than was already part of Hal's own human DNA strand."

He could have gone on much longer about how it all worked, which enzymes had been used to detach free 'sticky ends' in the double helix without unraveling it entirely in order to give the third strand places to anchor and interact, and how he'd had to modify the attaching enzymes so that they would not be rejected by a host body. But he recognized on the warden's face the effort he was already making to understand. The man was in law enforcement. Chemical and molecular biology were foreign languages to him. David would probably understand most of it, but he'd already previously explained to him in much more detail. "Suffice it to say, as long as he remains within the confines of the cell and under the influence of this specific radiation, he should not be able to regain his powers, but his typical DNA should also not be harmed at all."

"Interesting," the warden murmured as he looked around himself at the cell they stood in. Radiation meant cancer to him and was what he hoped wasn't a possibility. Not that he cared much what happened to Hal, whom he thoroughly despised, but the legal sharks would have a field day if cancer could be attributed back to the workings of this refitted unit.

"Also… he won't have any idea that his power won't be coming back."

The warden turned to look at him with a gleam in his eye. "Well, I can't wait to see the look on his face when I tell him that!"

"Actually," Megamind suggested, "I don't think you should." He glanced back at Roxanne, seated on the cot he'd often recovered on, the cape still around her shoulders. She looked pale but alert, listening carefully. "I think it would be more to your advantage to keep that tidbit of information from him and, uh, his legal counsel. And family. I wouldn't bother to explain what his new home here is doing to him." He glanced at Dr. Morrow who nodded slightly. "Just make it seem that he's considered so dangerous, he had to be housed in this particular cell. Custom made to contain the city's top villain. He'll likely take it as a compliment. And it's still actually true."

"I don't get it." Warden Doyle looked from one to the other, deflated at having the pleasure of bursting Hal's bubble taken away from him. "Why not tell the low-life bastard that he's never going to be super-powered again?"

"Because if he knows what's happening, he'll make more of an effort to get out of here, Richard. Or his lawyers will do it for him. Think about it," David admonished lightly.

"I think you'll have less trouble if you allow him to think he's only got to wait for the powers to eventually return. He'll be waiting a long time, but it would take a better mind than his to figure out the delay is due to something in the very construction of his cell."

"Oh. So you're saying if he knows he could get them back by getting out, he'll try harder to escape." Warden Doyle sniffed dismissively. "He's not smart enough to escape from a paper bag."

"Don't underestimate him," Megamind warned, "He's not smart. But he's determined. And in here, he'll have nothing more to do with his time than memorize all the comings and goings, look for weaknesses, test opportunities." He knew first hand that some of the prison employees were not much smarter than Hal himself. If it came down to a battle of wits, it might be a toss up. "You should shake up the routine occasionally. I can help come up with a schedule for that."

"He's not you, Megs."

Brows rising, he turned to regard the doctor, wondering if he had actually just heard a compliment, somewhat backhanded though it might have been. "I'm surprised at you, David. I figured you'd be more cautious."

David Morrow's face turned sour. "Oh, you should have just blasted him! We could have been done with this." His eyes slid to Roxanne. He'd checked her over as Megamind had related the afternoon's horrors and knew she was suffering at least mildly from shock.

Unlike when he'd been offered the same tempting option from Roxanne in the car, Megamind rolled his eyes. "You were the one who warned me about legal implications, even while working as one of the 'good guys'. What? Are you saying I should ignore your advice now?"

"I'm _saying_ you need to take your opportunities when they arise," David practically hissed, not wanting his unconventional advice overheard by anyone else but the people in the circular room. He glanced around again. "If nobody else is around and you have the opportunity to rid yourself – _indefinitely_ – of some opponent who may continue to cause you considerable grief-"

"There was a witness."

Dr. Morrow sobered and fell silent immediately. Richard looked surprised as well. Megamind hadn't mentioned this before. "Well, I'm sure Roxanne isn't going to give you up. She-"

"Besides Roxanne," he interrupted again.

The two men stared. Who else could have been there?

Megamind took a deep breath, choosing not to go into all those details of Tom Raines' involvement at the moment. He'd only told them of the main action that involved stopping Hal and bringing him back to justice. "She and I will take care of that particular… problem. And no, it was a good thing I hadn't acted on my initial inclination, which was the same as yours, David."

"Well." Flummoxed, the doctor couldn't think of what to say for once. He found it slightly aggravating that his former ward would keep secrets from him. Of course he wouldn't tell the Richard everything. _He_ was more of the fatherly figure, and sons never told their fathers _everything_. But David had long thought of Megamind as his protégé and himself as his particularly close mentor. He still felt entitled to know all, having been privy to more of the alien boy's private thoughts than anyone, except that fish. He knew he had been hard on him growing up, but in the unconventional circumstances of his life it had been necessary to treat him in the Spartan way, to harden him, make him a survivor. And he believed his methods had been a distinct success. Hadn't he helped form this blue person into the strong, unique individual he now saw standing before him?

Once he'd grown up and escaped with Minion to begin his chosen career of crime, David knew his influence would be lessened. However Megamind's frequent returns to the prison had allowed them to remain in touch, had allowed him to continue to subtly influence his thinking, direct his growth and his psychology. He knew the man wouldn't remain a villain forever, couldn't. It was against his nature. He had known that from early on. The boy had been simply too good-hearted from the start. So although he had had no idea how or when the change would come, he knew it was only a matter of time before the chrysalis of 'evil' he had wrapped around himself like some kind of protective shell against the cruelty the world heaped on him and that also kept his pupil confined and limited would crack somehow and open to reveal the potential of what he really could be.

And yet now that that had happened, finally, the thing he had most hoped for… he found himself uncomfortably at a loss somehow. His influence was rather obviously being replaced by _her_s. Roxanne Ritchie. And although his curmudgeonly heart was gladdened that his lonely pseudo-pupil should have found someone to finally hold dear and, more importantly, be truly respected by and even find joy in being loved by, he did wonder if it was for the best. He'd also slowly been realizing how much he was going to fade out of this unique man's life now. And that was the way it was supposed to be. But that didn't mean he had to like it.

"I see," he said finally as he held the gaze of the green eyes, still silent.

"So," Richard had already moved on to other matters. "When should we rehydrate him?" He already understood, as did they all, that there was very little likelihood Hal's lawyers would allow them to keep him in such confines indefinitely. Even prisoners had rights.

"I'll come by tomorrow and take care of that myself. And bring the de-fuser just in case we need to, um, jumpstart his 'de-evilling'." Rubbing his hands together, a gleam brightened his eye and a smirk bent the corner of his mouth at the memory of seeing Hal jerking like a fish at the end of a line with the de-fuser shoved up his nose. "On second thought maybe I'd better start with that again… just for the hell of it," he murmured. "Ahem! I mean just to be on the safe side. But. Even though he's currently in suspended animation, hopefully his DNA is already being influenced by the radiation and that won't actually be _necessary._ Plus I'd like to have a word with him." He gazed at the cube thoughtfully, then with a deep breath he drew himself up and away from thoughts of what he had planned to say to his failed creation. "For now though I need to get back to the overpass. I've left Minion alone to handle everything there."

"Seems to be doing fine from the reports we've seen," Richard mentioned to him as Roxanne shifted and stood up from the cot, intending to go with him.

"How are you feeling?" he questioned her with concern before glancing at the doctor.

"She's suffering from shock." Appearing completely unconcerned, Dr. Morrow continued, "Of course. What else would you expect for nearly being raped by some muscle-bound genetic mutant and thrown off a gigantic statue? Doesn't help that she's sitting around here still half soaked and keeping warm in nothing more than a cape." He scowled at Roxanne and shook out a blanket he'd set near her that she hadn't used yet. "Give me that. You should be in bed."

Piqued again by the man's brusque manner, Roxanne drew herself up and held tighter onto the soft leather, jaw set in her pale face. "I'm going back to the overpass with Megs."

"No, you are not. There'll be no more reporting tonight, Missy."

The way he spoke reminded her of her father and how she used to butt heads with him as a teenager. Roxanne felt a bit of steel come back into her spine despite her extreme fatigue.

David looked at Megamind. "She needs rest. And supervision for the night."

"Ah…" Looking wide-eyed from one to the other, Megamind was wondering how he was going to be in two places at once.

"_I'll_ stay with her," David stated with the finality. "It shouldn't be you anyway." He raised an eyebrow at the former inmate. "Too much temptation."

Megamind shot his ex-mentor a dirty look before turning to walk to the reporter whom he could see was feeling stubborn. "Roxanne…" He knew she wouldn't like it, but although David's bedside manners left much to be desired, he tended to agree with his diagnosis of her condition. The last thing he wanted was for her to collapse.

"I could just wait in the car," she argued weakly. For some reason she felt fearful of being separated from him again.

"All night?" he asked gently. "Why not go home? Please."

The protest forming on her lips was halted by the concern in his eyes. She knew she was flagging and needed to rest. It was only through sheer willpower she hadn't let herself lie down on that cot. _It's the shock. Damn it, David, why do you always make me want to do the opposite of what I should?_ She sighed to herself, hating to give in but feeling the influence as well of the guilt she'd laid on herself earlier. _I've already caused him enough trouble today._ She looked a moment longer at his emerald green eyes waiting patiently for her to decide. "Oh, all right…"

Megamind smiled and put an arm around her, while Dr. Morrow looked slightly surprised. "I'll bring my car around," he announced and strolled out at his usual unhurried pace, hands behind his back.

"So we can expect a visit tomorrow?" Richard Doyle asked. "I just won't mention to anyone before then that we actually have him in custody. Ahem. As far as anyone knows right now, Hal Stewart is currently lost in the system somewhere." He winked at Megamind. Red tape could be a useful tool at times. "Any idea what time you'll be here?"

"No," Megamind answered frankly. "I have so much to finish before Saturday. I'd like to have the overpass repaired, there are still several areas of the city reporting damage that we have brainbot crews assigned to that need to be checked on, and several other projects must be completed for the museum opening." He thought briefly of one in particular. "Oh, plus we have a meeting tomorrow with some planning coordinator in addition to everything else," he looked for confirmation from Roxanne who has been asked to be there too. "All I can tell you is I'll be here when I can."

"No problem." He clapped the smaller man on the back as they walked out of the cell together and the guard closed the door behind them. The warden turned to his employee standing at attention there. "You hear that, Harrison? That cell is _not_ occupied. Got it?" The man nodded once silently. Richard knew he was reliable. He turned back to his former inmate. "You'd better allow some time for resting yourself. Saturday's going to be a huge event. I'm sure they'll keep you hopping all day."

Eyes wide, the new defender blew out a deep breath, unsure of how or when everything would be accomplished. It was testing even his considerable abilities and resources.

"But, not to worry," the warden assured him. "I'm sure you'll manage to pull it off. You always do." He stopped at the door to his office, smiling into his moustache at the sight of the unlikely pair continuing on down the hall. _Unlikely maybe, but just right somehow_. He shook his head with a quiet huff that expressed his gruff but genuine happiness at seeing how things were turning out. "Good night," he called. One hand raised in a silent goodbye before they turned the corner.

* * *

><p><em>Little movie things. Megamind's cell does appear to be outfitted to monitor his brain activity in some way. I *think* this also shows up in the "Art of..." book, which I do not own but have had a look through. The screens the guards sit in front of show scans of his brain among other things. And so as far as an explanation of why Hal would be housed there after he'd already been de-fused, supposedly doesn't have superpowers left, and certainly has nothing even close to Megs' mental capacity, I came up with this idea. It perplexed me watching the movie why they'd give Hal the 'honor' of occupying Megamind's old cell, and that was what first sparked the idea of him being able to regenerate his powers unless they were continually suppressed in some way. That maybe placing him in that cell was actually necessary for some reason. Not canon, just an plot twist.<em>

_The de-gun. Yeah, if Megamind is really so bad and evil, why have any other settings on it but DE-STROY, right? We all know he's not, but the gun provides some proof in its design and function. Besides, it makes a hell of a sort of Swiss Army knife of a weapon. I love that thing! As Nora said, "It's the sexiest weapon I ever did see."_

_Oh. If "ah fame, you fickle food" sounds familiar, it's paraphrased from Emily Dickinson. Gotta give her credit. Well, geniuses would be well-read, wouldn't they?_


	34. Temptations, Part 2

__*I have to add this thought... Some of you may have seen on my profile page that we sadly and unexpectedly lost the baby I was due with in June. And that we named him David. We did not name him after the character appearing here nor did I name the character after him. My husband, who does not read any of my fiction, surprised me at the ultrasound when the loss was confirmed by saying he had been thinking of that name for the baby all along. And I agreed immediately of course. It just seemed right somehow. I do think of that little one now as I write, but not too sadly. I'm thankful this hobby has proved to be rather surprisingly therapeutic at the most oddly convenient times. God is good.__

_*Part 2. Ok, this got kind of funny writing Roxanne a little OOC toward the end of her scene with Megs here. I can just imagine Tina Fey playing this up and having a good time with it. Can you? (Review? again? I know... I'm shameless.)_

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><p>Roxanne lay in her bed, lights off, dead tired, mind churning. Tugging irritably at the oversized t-shirt she hadn't used as sleepwear since college that wanted to twist around her and bunch up, she wondered again where Pinky had put her pajamas. Realizing she'd forgotten to close her curtains, the silver lights of the city seemed to be shining right into her eyes, but the effects of the sedative and her exhaustion made getting back out of bed too much of a bother. She rolled away from the windows to face her door.<p>

David Morrow was sitting in her living room on the couch as though he thought he had to guard her. From what? Or whom? Or did he think she was going to try to sneak out and catch a taxi to the overpass? In a way she was grateful for his presence, not really comfortable with being completely alone after the day's events. She knew she could trust him, Megamind did, but her feelings toward him were still fairly ambivalent.

Emotionally and physically, she already felt somewhat better, whether it was from the hot shower or the pills David had insisted she take or from being back in the comfort of home, she didn't know. But still she wished she wasn't alone in bed and felt a tugging sense of emptiness that she'd had to leave Megamind at the doors of the prison. After returning his cape to him and getting a long hug, she'd finally accepted the blanket David offered and placed around her shoulders in the surprisingly gentle way he had once before and then allowed herself to be shuttled away in his car.

_When did I become so attached to him that I can't even spend a night alone anymore?_ Flopping onto her stomach, she tried to find a more comfortable position that might allow her to go to sleep and thought about the nights they'd spent wrapped up together after the first battle with Hal. Her arms stole up to hug her pillow as she remembered how he was always more settled in his sleep with her there. _Well, so what's so bad about wanting to be with him now anyway… even though I think about him… all the time…_ For some reason, it made her slightly uncomfortable. Maybe she was losing herself too quickly. Giving up her independence too easily? Getting attached too fast? Being rash... again? She had done that once before… with disastrous results. But now was not the time to think about _that_. She wondered suddenly if Wayne had finally brought Tom down from the tower. It would have been all right with her if he'd had to sit up there for a day or three.

Maybe David had been right to insist she go home and stay alone for the night. Maybe they needed time apart to put things in perspective. Everything had been happening so fast, a whirlwind of emotion and change for the past few weeks. But exactly what perspective was he trying to show her by making her do so? Yawning, she found it was getting harder to think clearly. She wondered what the good doctor had given her. She'd never bothered to ask, just took it.

"I have to give you kudos, Ms Ritchie," he had suddenly said as he watched her swallow the pills he'd placed in her hand.

Slowly she lowered her glass. "What do you mean?"

"You didn't listen to me, did you?" he accused. "I told you not to make him second guess himself."

She regarded him carefully as she wiped a drop of water from her lips with her hand. "I was going to stop him. At first." She could see it all replay in her mind. Saw his face set and furious as he fired at Hal. "He actually scared me a little." Remembering it, she was again aware of her feeling of fascination, attraction mixed with fear. "But then… I told him to do what he had to do." She looked at the doctor, still watching her.

"Hmm."

"You don't believe me?"

"It's not that I don't believe you, Roxanne," he said. Then suddenly he seemed much gentler, his words more sincere, his eyes fixed gravely on hers. "But you must be aware of how much influence you hold over him now. A considerable amount."

She swallowed. "I am."

"His greatest weakness right now… is that he thinks he needs you."

Roxanne looked down at her hands. "I know."

"And that's not going to help him."

"Yeah."

Slowly David nodded. "I think we understand each other." After a pause, he reached out and gently took one of her hands in his. She looked up. "You're a very intelligent woman, Roxanne. More than a match for him in many ways. I respect that." They stood silently staring at each other. Then he leaned forward and planted a paternal kiss on her cheek before patting her hand. "You'll figure out what you need to do. I'm sure."

Staring into the dark, she felt wide awake but strangely detached from her thoughts that seemed to have floated free of her mind and were circling around her head, refusing to settle. She wished Megamind was there to talk to.

* * *

><p>Well past midnight, a tap at the glass doors to the balcony startled the man on the couch although he didn't let it show. He only looked up with a frown from the medical journal he was reading. Crossing the room at his casual pace, he unlocked the door. "Is this your customary entrance?"<p>

"Old habits," one black-gloved hand waved dismissively. Pinky flew to him, having been banned from her mistress's room, and he patted her dome absentmindedly. "How is she?" Involuntarily he glanced toward the bedroom.

"Asleep most likely. I gave her something to help. And I thought you were busy tonight."

Megamind started toward Roxanne's door as though his feet were drawn there.

"Don't disturb her. …You know what she went through today. She's not herself right now. …She needs rest not romance, Megs." David could tell when he was being ignored. He called out a little louder. "No funny business. Doctor's orders." The only response he got was one he'd not seen his protégé use since he was a teen: the one finger salute and a glance that spoke the words as clearly as the gesture.

"Well," he muttered philosophically as the door closed again very quietly. "I guess I know how I rate." Resuming his place on the couch, he began reading his journal again, dignity unruffled.

Megamind stood in the dark room with his back to the door, silently gazing at the still form in the bed. He just needed to see her, to know she was all right. Scenes of what had happened earlier kept replaying in his mind, leaving him disturbed and worried, distracting him until he had found he'd directed a unit of bots to do the same job three times. Even they knew something was amiss. They'd all stopped and were staring at him in unison, their red eyestalks clearly expressing their confusion.

Eventually Minion noticed the pile up and walked the spiderbot over to his boss, standing and staring into space. "Sir…? Look," he gently suggested. "Why don't you just let me take care of this? Go see Ms Ritchie."

"No, no, Minion. Don't be silly, I- oh." He finally realized why all the brainbots were staring at him and how little he'd been paying attention. "Well. Maybe I'll just go make sure she's settled in for the night. But I'll be right back."

With a sense of great relief he stood looking down at her now. Head cocked to one side he noticed the way she was hugging her pillow again. She hadn't done that while they were together in his bed. Maybe she missed him? He thought of the night visits he used to make, sneaking in and hoping she wouldn't wake up and catch him there… but at the same time wishing she would. He felt just the same now. And as if reading his thoughts, her eyes drowsily opened and immediately focused on him. He couldn't help but smile and move toward her as she slowly turned over.

"I was hoping you'd show up," she mumbled rather incoherently. He sat on the side of the bed thinking she must have been very deeply asleep. She sat up, reaching out to pull him near, the oversized shirt falling off one shoulder.

"I really didn't mean to wake you…" He hugged her close anyway, marveling over how cuddly and soft she felt as he squeezed her tight and then buried his nose in her hair, wishing he could just crawl into the warm bed and keep her company. "But I had to come and check on you."

How different their reactions were from those other nighttime visits when he'd kept his distance, desperately wishing she would come into his arms as readily as she had just now. Smiling to himself, his mouth dropped to her bared shoulder, leaving a kiss there. _Is she really willing to be mine?_ It was unbelievable how much everything had changed in such a short amount of time. Little doubts still assailed him.

Humming a sigh, she reached up to the back of his head, but her fingers clumsy with sleepiness were unable to find their way around the cape's tall collar. He reached for the clasp at his neck and unlatched it, shrugging it off, ridding her of the discomfort of his spiked mantle as well. He thought not for the first time of how he might ask Minion to redesign his wardrobe as her hand found the back of his neck and slowly stroked down his skin, then back up, giving him an electric kind of shiver. She murmured something indistinctly against his ear, but it didn't matter what it was. His whole body was zinging already. He loved her touch… and the sensitivity of his skin, unaccustomed to any sort of contact let alone from this woman he wanted so desperately, made it all the more exquisite. Almost unbearably so.

Eyes closing, his lips parted to exhale as her fingertips continued their slow dance and her nose nuzzled along his cheek until she found the corner of his mouth. Quickly he engaged her kiss, holding her tighter, his hands slowly finding their own way under the loose shirt. Busy with her lips, it took a while before he realized… _Gloves! Gloves again! Not this time… _He began removing them as fast as he could, not caring if they turned themselves inside out the way they tended to if he wasn't careful… feeling Roxanne exploring down the side of his neck while he was busy trying to hurry them off.

Despite the lethargic working of her mind, she suddenly recalled clearly the bruise she'd seen forming on his neck in the car. She withdrew a little to examine the contusions on his blue skin, her fingertips brushing over the darker shadows that barely showed in the silver light of the room, the rest of Hal's handiwork, four counterparts to the single thumb mark on the other side. Feeling very woozy, she was still able to form a clear mental image of him fighting to breathe as his neck was being crushed in Hal's cruel fist. "…oh Megs…"

"They'll be gone by the end of tomorrow," he whispered, knowing what she was looking at and still working at his gloves.

"I don't like it," she said sadly.

He'd never heard her use that quiet whining voice before and frowned slightly. What exactly had David given her? His curiosity was snuffed as she began covering each mark with gentle kisses while he tugged at the tight leather over his hands. "I bet you've never had anyone kiss your owies," she mumbled between the soft kisses she was placing as gently as she could along his poor abused neck. "Even when you were little."

His eyes slowly closed at the feeling of her tending to his battle trophies, even while he impatiently pulled the last glove off with a jerk and tossed the pair to the floor, smoothly sliding his hands up under her shirt again, along her bare skin, deliciously warm and silky. Just as it had felt before… "Oh, mama," he breathed.

Roxanne's kisses stopped as she giggled sleepily. "I think you mean, 'no mama'."

_What the heck did I just say_? he wondered, suddenly embarrassed. "Sorry. I don't know where that came from."

She pulled back enough to see his lips, giggling slightly again as she gazed down at the goatee, and just before she leaned forward and began kissing him again, he suddenly recognized the dazed look on her face as being from the influence of whatever drug she'd been given. _She's not herself… Oh nuts._

Definitely uninhibited, her kisses were hard and insistent, searching for him to answer in kind while her hands roamed over him more freely than she'd allowed herself to do before… across his shoulders and down his chest... low enough he caught his breath in surprise before they slipped around his waist and up his back. Then down, lower… _This is not fair_, he thought as her tongue darted between his lips and his met it before he could even second-guess himself, feeling her press her mouth into his harder. _OK, seriously have to not take this too far… but…_

One of her hands moved away from checking out the shape of his firmly muscled derriere… was slowly traveling down his thigh, following along it to his knee, her fingertips tracing along the top of his boot and back up… then her leg slid down out of the sheets and hooked around his, using the leverage to pull herself forward onto his lap while she pushed the bed coverings bunched between them away. While he was busy fighting back some very vivid memories of having her on his lap before, his traitorous hands followed along with the idea without his consent, rising up along the long length of her bare back and then down along her sides, thumbs deliberately brushing past the twin swells pressed against him, down to cradle the curve of her hips… _That is some very fine…. hmmm_… The outline of her panties teased at his fingers, giving him rather specific ideas of where he could explore next until… suddenly he was pulling her closer, driving his tongue deeper into her mouth even while he was thinking, _No, no, no… it can't be tonight_. _Not while she's like this_.

She was very willingly trying to snuggle up closer, her hips seeming to encourage him with subtle adjustments until disengaging from his French kisses with shorter, quicker smooches, she pleaded, "Tell David to leave… and come to bed."

His breath left him in a rush, and he moved his hands up from the ample rear he'd been caressing to wrap around her waist instead. "I would like nothing more, but... Sweetheart, you're making this very hard on me."

A hand stroked upward between his legs outlining a well-defined shape. "Mmm, something's getting hard on you," she murmured.

"_Roxanne._" Eyes flying open, he grabbed her hand, but her lips were around his earlobe too, clouding his thinking. _Ok, she's under the influence here. Obviously feeling… uh, very frisky. And I am too... but you've got to use your head... Your BRAIN! Time to uuuse the brain_. Swallowing hard, he tried to slow his heavy breathing. It wasn't easy with her still teasing his ear and trying to loosen the hold he had on her hand. _Oh dear god, that's good..._ with a grimace, his eyes rolled back, the pleasurably hot sensation spreading through his body melting his resolve for a moment. She certainly was determined to get to the crux of the matter.

"I can show you what to do with it too," she added in a husky voice that made his nostrils flare and his toes curl inside his boots.

Teeth clenched, he was wanting so much to just let this go where it would. He would so very willingly follow all of her instructions to a T, even though... "Oh angel, I know _exactly_ what to do with it." And she was right. He was more than ready… ideas tumbled through his head and made him almost shake with anticipation. It didn't help when she rose over him, kneeling and pressing herself against him as he looked up at her, desperate for more willpower. His hands seemed to be on cruise control, slowly sliding down her legs, his reactions happening outside of conscious decisions. _Gah. Must stop this_. He was already nuzzling his nose along her torso, toying with the thoughts of what was under the oddly enormous shirt she was wearing which would come off so easily... He turned his head away, blinking his eyes with the effort of gaining control of himself again. Not easy with her body clearly on offer and her lips kissing the top of his head gently, waiting for him to act. Waiting for him. She was... Then he thought of having to face her the next day. "No, Roxanne... I can't."

"Yes, you can," he heard her assure him eagerly. "It's sooo easy."

He couldn't help chuckling. _She is really out of it._ "Nooo. I mean, I can't stay."

Suddenly still, she pulled back to look down at him, the expression on her face reminiscent of a lost puppy. He would have laughed if he hadn't been trying so hard to control himself. He half expected to see her cock her head to one side and perk up her ears. _This is definitely not Roxanne at her best. Oh, it would be so wrong to use this._

"Why?"

Smiling a little as he looked up at her, he couldn't help thinking she was awfully cute in her semi-stoned state. "Sweetheart, I have so much to get done tonight. And um, you're not… yourself."

Somehow she knew that she wasn't. But she also knew she was acting on her feelings, what she really wanted deep down. The same thing she'd been wanting all along, every time he came to her room. It just seemed so much easier to ask for it right now. "Megs… just stay for a little while," she begged, bending to rub her nose along his, kissing him again. "Please?" The hand he held slipped his grasp and rested on his chest. One finger traced around the fine pectoral muscles outlined there. He kissed her back, blue lips meeting pink over and over, slowly and firmly. She was dropping into his lap again and working herself closer. "It won't take very long…"

One dark eyebrow rose as they kissed before he answered. "Oh, I know it wouldn't take very long. That's entirely too true. But my dearest, sweet…" he kissed her longer, cupping her face gently in his hand before finally stopping to look at her seriously. "When I do stay with you… I want to be able to stay." He searched her eyes to see if she understood. "And not have to leave again."

She looked back at him, some stone cold sober part of her mind realizing that he was doing the right thing, but her body wanted her to argue and her loose tongue spoke up before she could stop it. "… but. You said you love me." The tiny part of her brain that was still rational protested in disgust that this was a stupid thing to say, and she was making a fool of herself.

He smiled. "I'm saying no because I do love you, Roxanne."

She frowned and slouched, her arms loose around his shoulders, "That doesn't make any sense." Actually she knew it did, but she didn't like that either, so she pouted before slowly whining, "You're so mean."

A laugh escaped him as he hugged her closer. "You won't think so tomorrow."

Sighing, she wrapped her arms around him more tightly, disappointed. Her body ached to have him stay. Push her back onto the bed. Finally get around to what she was sure they both needed to just set everything straight. It seemed so simple. "Megs…" she began, kissing his neck again working toward his ear.

_Oh ho, no you don't._ "Tomorrow," he said, placing a kiss on her cheek and holding himself aloof firmly until she stopped and looked at him. "I'll stay tomorrow."

The grogginess had enough hold over her that she had to think about his offer for a while, blinking slowly as her eyes wandered over his blue skin, the curve of his smile, up to his eyes shining at her in the dark… she touched his face lightly with her fingers. "Tomorrow?" she whispered.

"Yes."

"Promise?"

"I _promise_," he answered without hesitation and kissed her again. "Just try to keep me away."

Sighing deeply, she finally relaxed against him and felt his arms wrap around her in another warm hug. She felt very tired again. "I can't sleep when you're not here," she complained as her eyes closed.

He could tell she was going already and sighed against her hair. "Oh, I do love you so much." A sudden irony struck him. "You know… it used to be me coming in here trying to seduce you." For just a moment he wondered if he should have gone ahead and…

"Mmmm, Megs… I-"

The bedroom door suddenly opened wide. "All right. That's enough." Dr. Morrow stood framed in the light like an angry father policing his daughter's make out session.

"_David!_" Megamind barely stopped from shouting, not wanting to startle Roxanne. She merely frowned and blinked at the light. "_Get. OUT_."

Rolling his eyes, the doctor turned and walked away, leaving the door open.

_Good lord, what if we'd been- _He shook his head. "Come on, sweetheart. Go back to sleep." He coaxed her to lie down and began pulling up the covers.

"…mmmiss you…"

"I know, but I'll see you tomorrow."

Reaching up, she pulled his head to hers and kissed him before her arms dropped to the bed and her eyes closed again. He kissed her lips once more, and her forehead, smoothing her hair back, then stood looking down on her a moment longer. _Tomorrow._

* * *

><p>David was sitting at the dining table as the blue Romeo closed the door softly. He wasn't sure how upset he was until the full power of two glaring green eyes turned on him. Holding his gaze, Megamind stalked over, even going so far as to pull the de-gun from its holster. David wondered if he might have actually pushed too far this time as the leather-clad alien took a seat opposite him, glowering and agitated, his mouth set and brows low. David maintained his silence until the outraged man finally asked, "What the hell were you thinking?"<p>

"Acting as her physician right now, I-"

"We are both consenting adults, _David_." The effort he was making to speak calmly was betrayed by the dangerous glint in his eye and the way his lips curled back to show his teeth.

"She's under the influence of a sedative, Megs, not thinking clearly. And obviously you're besotted with her. I didn't want you to make a bad decision. For her sake or yours."

"And what if we'd been…" He stopped and waved a hand. "What were you going to do? Walk in there and pull me off of her?"

David said nothing but sighed, still holding the gaze of the glittering green eyes calmly.

Too calmly. It annoyed the hell out of him, that superior manner. He'd lived under it for so many years. Megamind leveled the de-gun at him in one smooth deliberate motion, cocking the hammer. His former mentor's eyes barely opened wider and his throat moved slightly. "You will not interfere in our relationship."

"Megamind," the doctor answered slowly and deliberately, determinedly not looking at the gun. "That wasn't my intention."

They stared at each other a long moment before the hammer was carefully released and the revolver lowered and laid harmlessly on the table. Megamind turned away a bit and seemed to slump in his seat before he looked back up to squint at the man across from him. "I can't figure it out, David. Are you trying to keep us together or apart?"

"Neither. I'm nothing but the litmus paper."

Megamind sighed again. He looked away, shook his head slightly and rested on arm on the table's edge, drumming his fingers. "I'm having a hard enough time without your little 'tests'."

"You know," the doctor commented, "You have a stronger sense of morality than I ever expected. I'm impressed."

"I don't need your approval," he scowled.

"No. You don't. I'm just observing you. The way I've always done." He paused, recalling Roxanne's words. "She told me she wasn't the one who stopped you today. You could have destroyed Hal. Been done with him. But you didn't."

"I wanted to. In fact," he paused, about to claim once again that Roxanne had held him back from the edge of evil, but he realized that wasn't true. "I would have, but circumstances didn't allow it."

The taller man relaxed at last and reclined in his chair thoughtfully. "I'm not a fool. There were other opportunities. You didn't take them." He paused. "Time was when you'd just do whatever you felt like, no excusing yourself. Brag about it. And your-" he motioned toward the world's biggest cranium. "I haven't heard a speck of your old braggadocio in a while." He refrained from expressing the rest of his thoughts, how it seemed his over-blown self-confidence had been tamed since coming under Roxanne's influence, for better or worse.

"You know that was part of my e-vil persona. Bluster. I don't need that anymore." And with everything changing, all the questions and uncertainty stirred up, bragging and bluster was the last thing he felt like doing.

"It was so much easier though, wasn't it?" David's eyes drilled into him. He'd voiced his own thoughts. "Does she make you second-guess yourself?"

"No." Megamind looked back at him steadily, ready to leap to Roxanne's defense if he pressed the issue at all. "No. I need her. In some way… knowing Roxanne is on my side gives me some kind of permission? Ability? I don't know, to... to believe I can do what's right. Destroying Hal was a temptation, but I don't think I could have lived with that. Because I don't think she could have either." Even though she had been the one to offer him the chance openly. Remembering that puzzled him a little. He felt a strange sense of disappointment in himself considering both of these people whose morals he trusted more than his own seemed to be suggesting he could have gotten rid of the problem with Hal and been justified in doing so. Maybe they thought he had been foolish, or weak. "I guess if I was still the old evil me, we wouldn't have to worry about him anymore." He shrugged. "But I'm a different person now."

Dr. David Morrow looked at his friend. The greatest intelligence currently in residence on the planet, this man capable of creating amazing inventions from scrap and nothing but his own determination… he had as much trouble puzzling out the grey areas of right and wrong and interpersonal relationships as any average human male. He thought of all the play-acting he'd watched him perform over the years, the bluster that hid his deep insecurities, partly from the lack of a real upbringing or even much basic care and affection to guide and support him. He felt guilty. Felt the regret parents feel, knowing they did it all wrong, should have done more, couldn't go back and do it again. He looked at the man and thought of his decisions of the past twenty-four hours... and his face relaxed into a rare smile. "No." He leaned forward resting his arms on the table as he earnestly regarded the slender blue man he'd tried to help raise right along a crooked path. "No, Megs. You're finally exactly who you've always been. From the inside out now."

Megamind looked up at the man, surprised. He knew that tone. This was David at his most honest, his coldly analytical front cast aside for the moment. He was buoyed up suddenly by the reassuring words despite wishing himself less attached to the physician's approval.

David stood up from the table, the shutters almost visibly drawn over his eyes once again. "Stop questioning your decisions. You're doing just fine." He walked back to the couch. "I'll stay with Roxanne the rest of the night. You'd better get back to Minion, or whatever you were doing before you stopped in. Gotta get those jobs done." He opened the journal and found the article where he'd left off, not looking up again as Megamind headed toward the doors to the balcony. "Before tomorrow night."

Megamind jerked upright and stopped with a blink and slowly turned to stare at him. "Were you listening at the door?" he asked incredulously.

"I've always had good hearing," Dr. Morrow replied nonchalantly, still perusing his magazine. "Want any advice?"

"_No._"

* * *

><p>The apartment was empty when she peeked out of her bedroom door, still in her robe. Shuffling to the kitchen she was greeted by a very excited Pinky, who flew around her in a tight circle before nuzzling against her like a cat. Then she spotted the note on the coffee maker and pulled it off.<p>

_Dear Roxanne: Be sure to drink plenty of water today. Helps flush the remains of the Valium from your system. Acetaminophen should help with the lingering headache. Enjoy your evening. Feel free to call with any questions you may have. My number-_

_Valium? That's what he gave me? No wonder._ She put a hand to her head, recalling she'd taken more than one. Dullness lingered in her aching brain. _Enjoy your evening… Oh my lord, that wasn't a dream. _Her fingers slipped from her temple to her lips, wondering how David knew about it and what Megamind had made of it all. _He didn't stay_. She stood thinking a moment, then glanced up at the clock. It was nearly time for her to be at the Lair, and she'd overslept.


	35. Everything Comes Out in the Wash

Breathing hard, she finally reached the Lair's secret entrance, noticing that the mat that had given away its location last time was missing now. She passed through the holographic wall carefully, one hand held out in front of her, hoping he wouldn't think she was showing up late because of what had happened between them. The truth was that she was mortified about the way she had acted, but she was only late because she'd overslept. _Darn that David and his stupid Valium._

The cab driver had given her a funny look when she told him to stop on the road that led to the abandoned power plant facility, far enough away that he wouldn't be able to tell exactly where she was going. She assumed Megamind still wanted to protect the privacy of his home base. Between hurrying the rest of the way on foot and being late and feeling nervous about seeing him again after the night before… She stopped just inside the doorway to collect herself.

A short laugh up rang out up ahead. Tensing, she held her breath, ears straining to hear more._ He wouldn't tell Minion about last night, would he? _She could feel her brow wrinkle in dismay, then shook her head._ No, he wouldn't do that, _she assured herself with greater certainty than she actually felt._ And even if he did… well, you were acting like a total..._ She straightened her shoulders as the butterflies in her stomach suddenly seemed to go to war with each other.

_Ok, you have to go in, _she thought, still not moving.

Pinky flew in through the hologram behind her with a happy bowg. Startled, Roxanne ducked, a hand to her pounding heart. Rushing a few feet ahead, the bot paused and looked back at her mistress with her glowing red eye, waiting. _Ok, ok. I'm coming._ Finally she took a step forward, then walked determinedly ahead, following her bot.

Seeing the main command center up ahead, she spied him sitting in his leather chair watching three different morning news shows. The other monitors displayed the usual strategic views of the city. He was alone, coffee in hand, smiling to himself as he leaned back and listened intently, his booted feet resting on the edge of the console. Her eyes traveled down his slender legs, lean muscles defined by the skin-tight suit stretched over them. The thought of caressing those muscles… hard and fit… '_Something's getting hard on you_…'

_Oh my gosh_. She felt her cheeks grow hot and put her hands to her face, fanning, hoping the blush wasn't too obvious. _I can't believe I just took those pills without even asking what they were. And I can't believe I **said** that_. As she realized he was still unaware of her presence, her steps slowed to a halt. She couldn't recall the last time she'd felt this shy about walking into a room. _Come on… what's wrong with me? It's not like he didn't like it. And I am a professional, independent woman… who just happened to have made a fool of herself over this incredibly… hot, blue alien… begging him to take me like some kind of shameless…._ She winced and palmed her face, then peeked out at him again from between her fingers.

He looked so relaxed with the cape spread out beneath him, its silky blue lining glowing in the light of the monitors, contrasting boldly with his black suit. Black gloved fingers curled round his mug as his wide green eyes remained intently fixed on a screen, dusky blue lips slightly parted but curving in amusement at something he obviously found funny. Unwittingly she tipped her head to the side trying to see his mouth better, thinking about his amazing kisses as her fingertips came to rest lightly on her own lips. His face was half hidden behind the edge of his tall collar, and she frowned. _Something's different. S_he couldn't quite place what it was, being distracted again as his lips tightened, curving upward even more, crinkling his eyes. Then he chuckled to himself again over one of the broadcasts.

The news. She would be at the office right now working on her own story if it weren't for needing a couple hours to attend to this meeting they were to have. Suddenly antsy about getting behind in her work, she saw him look her way at last and tried to make it seem as though she'd just arrived, stepping out of the shadows. "I know I'm late," she began.

"Oh! I missed seeing you come in!" He jumped up and grabbed a chair that was nearby, drawing it closer to his and calling, "Minion! Roxanne is here!"

"I know," a voice called back. "Be there in a minute."

"I was watching for you, but I got distracted by these rather imaginative speculations on the news." He smiled and indicated the seat.

Noting it was the chair she had always been tied to, she paused, looking down at it.

"Oh! Whoops, I'm sorry. Uh…" He looked around but no other chairs were within sight. "Let me go get-"

"No, no. It's all right." She smirked and sat. "I'm used to this one." Gesturing at the screen, she asked, "What sorts of things have they been saying?"

"Well, of course the destruction of the overpass is the day's top story, and there are a lot of creative theories about how it happened. It seems no one spotted Hal yesterday, amazingly, and the police aren't talking yet. So they're calling it everything from a localized earthquake to sink holes to simply blaming poor engineering and shoddy building materials. Someone even went so far as to suggest it might have been caused by those pesky crocodiles I supposedly let loose in the sewers." He chortled at the silly urban legend. He'd never even considered doing such a thing. What good would putting his well-trained reptilian pets in the sewers do?

"Hmmm, well, I can't wait to get started on my own story. Between Sully and I, we can set the record straight firsthand. And we have Tom's photos to use as proof. Some of them anyway. I have to admit I'm feeling pretty anxious about getting back to work." She wondered what time it was and when the planner was going to show up. "You know I hate to be scooped."

"You have nothing to worry about. Just think, you have exclusive knowledge of the real story of how I saved the day, twice! Nobody else even knows about what happened at the statue yet. And having been forced to take part in the action once again, you have an angle on the whole event that no one else will be able to duplicate." She smiled at him, knowing he was right. "The planner is here," he added. "So I shouldn't think this will take too long before you can get on your way and back to what you do best." Then he asked gently, "Are you feeling all right? After last night? I mean! Not last night per se, but after yesterday's… ah, shock."

She quickly realized that far from giving her the ribbing she deserved, Megamind was trying not to directly allude to her drug-aided, uncharacteristic behavior. She had to wonder what he really thought of it all_. _"Yeah, I feel fine. Slept like a rock! I guess David gave me Valium of all things. So that's why it took me so long to get here." Mouth open to continue, she paused instead. "And also why… um…" She stopped uncomfortably and looked down at her hands. "About last night."

He hadn't expected to see her hesitate. Seem unhappy. Regretful? _Oh._ _Maybe she really didn't mean it. Maybe it was the pills. And I just assumed… and then I told her that tonight… oh_, he mentally groaned, _I'm such an idiot. Of course she didn't mean it, and here she is trying to figure out how to get out of it. _"It's ok," he assured her quickly, reaching to take her hand. "I know you… uh, you weren't quite yourself."

She looked up at him, clearly disappointed despite his best effort to sound indifferent.

"So… nothing we said last night was binding."

_Wait_. She gripped his hand tighter as they sat staring at each other, willing herself to speak but not able to. _I meant it. I meant it all, Megs._ _I'm just can't stand knowing I let myself be that transparent. And vulnerable._ They looked at each other, neither quite sure what to say next.

"Sir!"

Megamind made some small noise in his throat at hearing Minion call out and feeling Roxanne withdraw her hand from his grasp. "I'll be right back."

Roxanne watched him walk away, wishing she'd had the courage to tell him she really did want him to stay. Wishing that her fear of being laughed at and taken advantage of wasn't so paralyzing. _I am such a wimp._ She slouched in her chair, feeling like kicking herself. Then looking at his comfy black throne, she moved over to sit in it, running her hands over the high quality leather. Casually she swiveled it back and forth a few times and spotting his coffee cup she reached over to tip it her way, peeking to see if he'd left any of that energizing liquid behind.

"Good morning, Ms Ritchie! I can get you coffee if you want some." She looked up to see Minion carrying a loaded laundry basket and declined his offer. "Sir will be back in a little while. He's giving the planner a quick look around the Lair."

"Oh, he's here already? And getting a tour? I'm surprised Megamind would do that."

"Huh! He didn't have a choice." Minion explained. "Didn't he tell you? Apparently this guy is _the_ biggest name in the city. As far as event planners go. Did Metro Man Day too, but this time he would only agree to do the museum opening if he was given a 'backstage pass' to the Lair first. So the mayor strong-armed Sir into letting him in. Guilted him into it really as part of the restitution he's supposed to pay back to the city. Like almost dying wasn't enough! And Sir tried to make it as unattractive as possible. Said the only way he was going to let him in was if we used the knockout spray and carried him in. Well, believe it or not, he was almost as excited about that as he was about coming here at all!"

Roxanne laughed. "Really? Wow. Must be a closet fan."

Minion paused, eyes rolling upward thoughtfully, one metal finger tapping his dome in the general area of his mouth. "Um, well… maybe a not-so-in-the-closet fan." He pointed at her and asked, "Have you ever met him before?"

"No, actually I haven't."

"Ah." He nodded. "You'll see what I mean."

Roxanne's eyes were drawn to the laundry in the basket. It was an oddly colorful assortment of items for two bachelors, one of whom was a fish who didn't wear clothing and the other a hard rock aficionado who preferred black. She spotted the edge of something pink and shiny. "Hey! Are those my pajamas?"

"Oh- heh heh! Yeah, I keep forgetting to tell you," Minion explained. "I think Pinky's a little confused about the whole wardrobe thing. We need to tweak to her programming. She keeps bringing your laundry here."

"Well, that explains it." Roxanne rifled through the basket he held, recognizing several more items. "That's my… and there's my shirt… There's quite a bit of my stuff in here. Socks, even? Minion, you don't have to do my laundry."

"Oh, I know. But since it was already here and you've been so busy, I thought I'd go ahead and get it started instead of just sending it back. I mean, I have a backlog of Sir's things anyway. I don't mind."

Roxanne smiled at her helpful little friend. "Well, thanks. That's sweet of you."

"No problem," he assured her with a grin. "And, while we're waiting for him, could I ask you to look at something? Some designs I drew up?"

"Sure."

He set the laundry down and led her to a small side room that immediately reminded her of her grandmother's sewing room. At least two older, industrial quality sewing machines were visible, one with something white bunched up under it, a work in progress. Drawings and notes were clipped here and there in a haphazard fashion. She spotted a dressmaker's form and several tape measures, fabric on bolts, spools of thread, scissors and zippers scattered in a semi-organized state around the room. All the usual textile accoutrements were present as well as boxes of spikes and studs and an impressive array of leather working tools hanging on a pegboard on the wall. The scent of fabric and leather, metal and machine oil hung in the air giving the room an unexpectedly homey feeling. Minion walked to a drafting table strewn with papers, motioning to them. "I've been working on ideas for a new outfit for him. You know, something _heroic_."

One of his boss's familiar black capes had been left draped over the table. She picked it up, moving it out of the way in order to study the ideas the creative fish had sketched. Some of the outfits he proposed looked very similar to what Megamind was already used to wearing. Some were far different. He'd explored various color schemes, deviating near and far from the black and blue that had been their standard for years but always including the lightning bolt in one form or another. She picked up one drawing of a bodysuit entirely in white, the splash of blue down the front its only color.

"I've started a prototype of that already." He pointed to the snowy fabric waiting under a machine. "Once I have the pattern perfected, I can just have the bots reproduce it. Remember the dream he told us about? That's what gave me the idea for that one."

She laid the sketch aside on the table, frowning slightly as she trailed her fingers down the dark leather she had draped over her arm, listening to Minion explaining enthusiastically about various design elements he liked to incorporate. Silently, the canny sidekick noted the way the reporter was unconsciously fondling the cape she held as he prattled on. Finally he stopped and waited for her opinion.

"Minion… I don't mean to cut down your work here. You have some wonderful ideas. Really, so creative. You could be a huge hit in the fashion world if you ever wanted to get into that." He smiled at the compliment. "But… none of these really seem like…" she motioned in the air, trying to explain. "_Him_. You know?" Her hand came down, resting on the mantle of the garment. _That's what it is_. "Where are the spikes?" she asked, looking down at it. They had been removed from the outfit she'd seen him in earlier too.

"Sir asked me last night to start taking them off his stuff. I've been working on it." Although Megamind hadn't specifically said so, Minion suspected the request was for her particular benefit as much as it was to tone down his boss's villainous image.

Roxanne looked down at the bare leather in her hands, then back up at the fish. "Don't take any more of them off. At least not unless he tells you to later, ok?"

"Ok." He wondered what she was going to have to say about the missing metal.

"Roxanne? Min-ion? Where'd you go?"

"Oh! The tour must be over." He motioned to the doorway.

Leaving the sewing room, Roxanne saw Megamind walking toward them with a man she'd never met before, wondering if she had worn that same dazed expression after waking up from a shot of their kidnapping gas.

"Oh my lord, that's some crazy shit! I may not even remember being here later. In which case I guess you'll just have to knock me out and drag me in again! Hahaha…" Roxanne studied with interest the person who had managed to throw his weight around enough to gain admittance into the so far impervious Evil Lair. "I haven't had a headache like this since that time I got a bad dime bag off one of my ex's! Of course he probably gave me that junk on purpose, the bitch."

The raspy, slightly lisping voice proceeded from a man in his mid-forties with a pudgy figure and a well-receded hairline, his mostly bald scalp shiny clean. Sporting a well trimmed brownish beard and moustache, he wore a small gold hoop in one ear as well and had dressed in a pink shirt and striped tie. She realized he was actually an inch or two shorter than her Napoleonic hero, which made him quite vertically challenged.

"Gawd! It's so dark in here! How do work like this? Unless those amazing eyes see in the dark… like a cat! Is that what it is? I mean, they're so luminous and glowing. I swear half my friends just want your gorgeous green eyes!"

Roxanne raised a brow in amazement that Megamind continued simply walking along unfazed by the man's random chatter and flirtatious pawing at his arm. This was the event planner the mayor had pulled strings for?

Finally noticing Roxanne and Minion, he rushed forward and grabbed her hands in his, an invisible cloud of expensive cologne billowing around him. "Oh hon-ey! There you are! You're really her! Rox-anne Ritchie! Oh my gosh, I'm so ex-_cit_ed!" His eyes swept over her boldly. "Look at YOU! Mmm!" He glanced over at Megamind and back at her again as though mentally pairing them. "Gawd, you two are precious…"

_Why is he assuming we're together? Maybe from Tom's articles_. Roxanne was about to correct his presumptions, when he interrupted, "Oh and I haven't even introduced myself yet. Sorry, I can be such a ditz, and I swear that knock up spray is like a bad trip! How do you put up with it?" he asked Roxanne. "Although I bet it's worth it…"

"Knock _out_ spray," Megamind corrected, completely ignored.

"Between that and being _here_!" the flamboyant organizer gestured around grandly, "in the EVIL LAIR? I'm all flustered!" He turned to Megamind again. "You're not going to change the name, are you? Even though now you have to be the heeero?" He sneered the word and pouted as though it disappointed him. "I really, seriously think you should always call it the Eeeevil Lair. Ooo!" he shivered dramatically. "Oh, I get a little tickle just saying it, you bad boy!"

Megamind was starting to look flustered, his cheeks turning pinker than usual, so Roxanne spoke up. "Um, you still haven't introduced yourself. I would start, but you already know who we are."

"Oh gawd, I'm sorry! I'm doing it again. I'm Donovan Russell. Just Donovan to you, and of course I know who you are, you silly thing, You're the lucky newsgirl who gets to enjoy this blue demon on demand! I'm serious," he leaned closer. "How hard is it to keep your hands off that fine-"

"We're… uh," Megamind glanced at Roxanne who was blushing, unsure how to approach this breech of their relationship that so far they had tried to keep under wraps. He didn't want to make her any more flighty about the events of the previous evening until they had a chance to discuss them further. "We're not together." _No, wait!_ Cringing, he peeked at Roxanne again._ I hope she doesn't think I meant I don't _want_ us to be together, I meant... ohhh... but we did agree to keep it secret for now... _His fingers fiddled nervously.

"You're not together?" Stunned, the man looked from one to the other. "No, seriously." When they didn't answer, he conceded "Ok! Fine. I'll play along." He waved aside the interruption. "But I think I know the real _sto_-ry!" he canted with a saucy wink. "So! Let's get down to business!" Rubbing his hands together, he said, "First things first. What are you going to _wear_? Cause I'm thinking we should go all symbolic and significant and come up with some kind of _white_ _hat_." He gestured at the de-gun and thigh holster. "It'll go with the whole space cowboy theme, too. Which I _love,_ by the way!"

Megamind and Minion looked dubious. Roxanne could imagine what they were thinking. Donovan might be focused on his muscular thighs, but they knew that oversized cranium just wasn't made to be topped. Anything big enough to fit him would end up looking like one of those gigantic foam hats people won at carnivals.

"How about a white _cape_?" she suggested as temptingly as she could, thinking of him falling under her nose wearing Wayne's fur collar in the underground apartment of the little red schoolhouse. It had been obvious he coveted that cape for whatever reason. _I think it's still in the van too_. "I know the perfect one."

"Ooo! White _cape_! Very good, Roxanne… interesting i_dea,_ hmmm." Donovan stood staring silently then suddenly clapped his hands. "Ok! So here's how it'll play out." The basic program he outlined for the grand re-opening event met with a critical reception.

"Where's Minion in it all?" Megamind demanded.

"No offense," the reporter added, "but that sounds a lot like what they did for Metro Man Day."

"Yes! Thank you! … isn't it stu-pid?" Donovan complained. "I wanted to do it all differently. But believe it or not, I don't actually get to decide how everything goes, or I would have made this whole affair a _lot_ more interesting. The mayor though. Oh, that man! He insisted, _insisted_, we keep the brick wall bashing and the curtain – which isn't that bad I admit. The curtain. _Love_ the way it falls!" His hands imitated the motion of the giant curtain floating down in slow motion. "But even going so far as to script some lines for you? Just like Muscles Galore? It's terrible!" He shook his head. "But what the mayor wants…" He rolled his eyes. "He says it provides an element of 'contin_u_ity.' I was surprised the man even knew what that word meant."

Megamind snorted a laugh and tried to pass it off by rubbing his nose, which didn't fool Donovan.

"You see! The genius agrees with me. But _anyway_," he gave a dramatic groan and rolled his eyes again. "This is what we have to work with. How-e-ver! I do know how we can incorporate your little friend in his metal…" He wiggled his fingers at Minion. "…thingy. Because it goes right along with the rest of my idea. Which is to have you put on a display of your greatest talent, Mr. Mind. Oh lord, even your name is too much!" He clasped his hands together again and turned to Roxanne. "Are you really going to try to tell me… oh, never mind," he waved a hand at her dismissively and turned his attention to the new hero again.

"SO! What we are going to do… is! We are going to have you _dance_. Not like that god-awful monkey lumbering the he-man did up on stage either. You're going to dance your way into the hearts of your public. _Dance_ into your new role!" Chin up, he threw out his arms dramatically. "_Dance_ to show your _pride_ in taking up your new responsibilities!" His arms dropped as he grimaced, "Gawd, responsibility sounds so boring."

"Dance?" Megamind repeated, somewhat surprised.

"Yes! You dance sooo well." He paused to look the alien's lithe body up and down with a lascivious smile, arms folded and a finger to his cheek. Megamind was beginning to feel distinctly uncomfortable when Donovan added with a flap of his hand, "And we'll have Roxanne join you."

"Wha-? Me?" Roxanne blurted out.

"Of course. Come on, can't you see it? It'll be interpretive, telling the story of his struggle to emerge and transform from villain to hero in one teeny, tiny, tidy, little dance number. Most of the stupids out there won't even get it, but I can tell you _I'll_ enjoy it! Dancing is right up _this_ boy's alley."

She held up her hands in mild protest. "Uh, yeah, but you see… I don't dance."

"You don't dance?" Megamind looked incredulous, wide eyed and shoulders dropping.

"Whaddaya mean you don't dance?" Donovan seemed confused.

"Well, obviously I _mean_… I don't know how to," Roxanne repeated slowly, beginning to feel a little defensive. "I don't dance. What's the big deal?"

"But honey, this a tragedy. You've seen him in action. How can Big Blue's girl not dance? The crowd expects it whenever he makes an appearance. Just between you and me, they _love_ it! Can't get enough of him. And they're gonna love this! Even the ones that are too dumb to compre_hend_ the significance." He took one of her hands between his. "And you _have_ to be part of it. You're the lynchpin of the whole story. The whole reason he changed." As Roxanne tried to think of a way out of it, Donovan became more brisk. "Come on. I think you're just shy. Let's try it out, huh? Anyway, with moves like his, all you'll have to do is keep up!"

He grabbed her by the shoulders, positioning the two of them side by side. "Ok, so first, you're in opposition. Rivals! _He_ taunts the crowd," he explained, pantomiming the villain's part, "and then _you_ come up and try to stop him!" Demonstrating by stepping toward the ex-villain with a hand raised palm out, Megamind naturally picked up the cue and slid back with a few quick steps and a graceful defensive movement of his arms. "Ooo! Look at him go, right away! Oh, you are amazing," he fawned over his pupil.

Backing away, Roxanne protested, "Look, I can't-"

"Oh, yes you can. Now come here." Donovan took her arm and pulled her over to her partner. "Now, you're going to keep coming toward him, but he's going to spin you like he's drawing you in… and then he's going to push you away again. Cause we all know there's always been this delicious tension between you two, even when you were working against each other. So now try it."

_Always been tension between us? Well, yeah, but how'd he know that? Has it been that obvious to everybody,_ Roxanne wondered? Megamind reached out to her despite her uncertainty, and she took his hand. With a twist of his wrist, he spun her quickly, making her fall against his shoulder. "Sorry, I thought you were ready," he apologized, catching her.

"I don't think I'm ever going to be ready for this," she muttered, straightening her blouse as he watched her, worried that she was being pushed too far. He didn't want to upset her. Not when they had left something so important hanging. Impatiently, he wondered how long this lesson was going to take.

"Ok, now, try that again. You just didn't _quite_ get it…" Donovan suggested, wrinkling his nose.

She tried again, and again, but always ended up off balance or tripping over her feet or facing the wrong way.

"Um," their flustered teacher ran a hand over his head, disturbing what little hair he had, leaving it stuck out at crazy angles. "How about if he just turns you around himself instead?"

As Donovan tried to think of ways to simplify the steps without losing the integrity of his idea, Megamind was losing heart. He knew he was probably over-thinking why Roxanne remained just as uncomfortable as he was willing, but the tension between them that had been maddeningly evident from the moment she walked into the Lair was quickly eroding his enthusiasm. He liked the idea of dancing, and he certainly was keen to have her on stage with him. It tied perfectly into the minor change he'd made to the museum and had hoped to surprise her with tomorrow, and yet once again they seemed to be at odds. Had he turned her off, presuming too much? _Dear god, it's a good thing I didn't stay last night, _he thought, struck by the irony that sleeping with her might have meant ruining what they had gained so far. He felt weary from the mental gymnastics involved in trying to figure out these unfamiliar romantic quandaries.

It was the public's reception of her presence on stage that had Roxanne worried. Surely Donovan's choreography wasn't going to go over everybody's heads. Would there be a backlash of renewed interest in Tom's articles? Would seeing her with him make people wonder if she really had helped orchestrate Metro Man's demise? The stories accusing Megamind of brainwashing her or her having succumbed to some sort of psychological syndrome had finally died down. _Wayne had better be ready with his explanation_, she thought. And besides all that, the very idea of dancing up on stage in front of a huge crowd made her so nervous she almost felt sick.

Their cooperation deteriorated as each wallowed in uncertainty until their instructor lost his temper entirely. "Stop, stop! Ugh! Come _on_! You're as stiff as a couple of teenagers at a junior high prom! This isn't what I expected from the city's hottest couple… Wait." He stopped. "My _ga-awd_. Is it really true then?" His mouth dropped open. "Haven't you two been together at all?"

"Well," Megamind looked at Roxanne.

"I have some laundry that needs to be done!" Minion quickly made his escape, well aware of the can of worms that might potentially be opened. He'd been watching his two friends closely, aware of some new tension between them, wondering what had happened to cause the backslide. _None of my business! I'm sure they'll work it out again. I'll just go listen to some Ozzy and do the laundry like the good little minion I am_. He heard Roxanne mention as he left, "We did have one date." _Yep. There's that can of worms_, he thought, glad to be leaving.

The restaurant. Megamind's spirits drooped even more. _Yeah, we have only had one real date_. _Maybe that's what's making her hold back. Does she need me to make it official? Do it right? Ask her out_? _Ugh! Of course! Why did I assume she meant anything she said last night when David had her doped up to the eyeballs? _ To him, it seemed like a step backward to start trying to date now, but if that's what she wanted…

"You mean you haven't even…? Oh my. The tension must be horrible. If I had to be around _this_ all the time with no satisfaction?" he gestured at Megamind, making them both blush. "No wonder you're stiff!" He favored Roxanne with a look of pity. "So you only had that one date, huh. Well, what happened?"

They glanced at each other again. "We had a fight," Roxanne admitted baldly, the memory of the heartbreak from that night in the rain suddenly fresh again, adding to her embarrassment and nervousness.

Donovan gasped, hands clutched together at his chest. "Oh, my poor babies! You star-crossed lovers!" He reached out with great concern and touched Roxanne's arm. "What'd you wear?"

As she rolled her eyes, they both heard Megamind quietly answering as though to himself, "A dark plum colored dress and pearl earrings. It was about knee length, with a ruffled v-neck and a self-fabric belt at the waist that-" He stopped, seeing them both staring at him. "What?"

Donovan gave Roxanne a look. "Honey. We're going to need that dress! You still have it, right?"

She knew exactly where it was – balled up in a far corner of her closet, still lying in the same place where she'd angrily flung it after taking it off the night he'd torn open her heart. _I never had it cleaned._ "Yeah, I still have it."

"We'll go pick it up from your place as soon as we're done here. I need to use that for sure! It's part of your _history_ together! Although you're over the fight now, right?" He looked from one to the other as they each fumblingly agreed that yes, that was certainly all over and done with, and swiftly realized he'd hit upon a sore spot between them. "O-kay then..." Quickly scheming a plan, Donovan was all business on the outside. "Let's try this again. Now… I know you can do this, Ms Ritchie," he scolded her in a sing-songy voice. "I think you're just holding oout on meee!"

Megamind's effort was now more fluid, supportive, careful. He watched her closely as they attempted to dance together, solicitous in his concern. He knew in his heart she wasn't over the hurt of that night from the way she carefully evaded his eyes.

Their teacher noticed his effort to gently draw her out without success as she fumbled yet again and drew back from him with a sigh. He finally cried out, "Oh for crying out loud! Will you just tongue her already and get it over with! I can't stand all this pussyfooting around! It's completely ruining my dance number! You're both going to feel so much better after you've just… argh! Put your hands all over each other! Just go for it! Go on!" He folded his arms as though he was waiting for them to comply right then and there.

Wide-eyed, they looked at Donovan and finally at each other. _If only he knew…_ Roxanne thought of the night before and exactly where her hands had been and cracked the first smile, then finally began to chuckle quietly. Megamind's sheepish grin dissolved into a snicker that grew until it shook his shoulders.

Their instructor looked at them like they'd lost their minds. "Ok, I don't know what I said." He shrugged. "But it doesn't matter! Now that you're loosened up, let's try again."

Finally Roxanne managed to relax enough to successfully complete one part of the sequence Donovan had taught them, even though she and her partner were still grinning self-consciously the entire time. "Good! Oh see! I knew you could do this! Ok, on to the next part." They continued to practice until they heard a voice call from out of the room:

"Sir, you really need to empty your pockets more often!"

_Why is he pestering me about that right now?_ Megamind turned Roxanne around himself again with an added lift, pleased to see her unfazed despite his improvisation. _We can do this_. He smiled at her. Dancing was something he'd always loved to do. And doing it with her made it even better.

"Oh, nice! I liked that! Keep that in there. But Roxanne, the footwork?" Donovan wrinkled his nose.

"I know… I'm hopeless."

"No, no… you'll get it. But I think you're going to need some practice. SO! What I want you two to do-"

"Sir! We have a slight problem!"

Megamind frowned. Minion's 'slight' problems never ended up being very slight. "We'd better go see what's up. I-" With a gasp he spotted Minion coming into the room, a familiar personage thrown over one hairy shoulder. "Where did _he_ come from?"

"Found him in the wash." Carefully he lowered the man to the floor in a sitting position.

"Bernard?" Roxanne asked incredulously, moving over to try to revive the barely conscious curator as Megamind looked on, stunned.

_I can't believe I forgot him_.

"Who's this?" Donovan asked curiously as Roxanne gently slapped Bernard's pale cheeks, holding one of his hands. With a groan, he slowly came around.

Megamind watched, wringing his hands slightly over Roxanne's ministrations. _She went to help him awfully quickly… no, Roxanne is simply helpful and sweet that way… but maybe seeing him again…_ Seeing his alter ego there, rightfully wearing the face he had used to woo the lady he loved made his heart sink. _They look... nice together_, he thought as Bernard's brown eyes blinked open and looked up at Roxanne, who smiled down at him. _That's how we looked together_. He could still see their faces side by side, reflected in the duck pond at the park, and wondered desperately what she was thinking.

"What the hell happened?" Bernard's nasally tone was as flat as ever. He put a hand to his damp hair and spotted Minion. "You – you hit me. With a stick."

Minion looked abashed at his knee-jerk reaction. "Heh heh… sorry."

Donovan whined, "I thought I was the first one in the Evil Lair!" He pointed at the dazed figure on the floor. "You mean he's already been here before me?"

Bernard looked around, frowning as he was finally coherent enough to take note of his surroundings.

"Ah, yes. Although he didn't know he was here," Megamind mentioned. "So, maybe it didn't count." He reached down to give Bernard his hand and helped to pull him to his feet. "Welcome to the Evil Lair, Ber-nard."

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><p><em>Ok, ok... the frustration is about to end for our couple. Don't send out a lynching party. The next chapter will have juiciness, <em>_I promise.__ And I'm determined to finish it up today and post before the week ends... even though I'm AS SICK AS A DOG! Fever 101, aches, chills, the whole nine yards. It hurts to type! Two of my kids are sick too. What fun... *whump* ...falls over and curls up in a ball on the floor. Somebody just shoot me now. Send a review to help me feel better, huh?_


	36. Just the Way You Are

_Long chapter. Somewhat tricky chapter. I was sad to miss my self-imposed weekend deadline, but the family is *still* sick. I do believe we have the actual flu, good and proper. It throws you down and gives you a jolly good beating. Then when you start to get up, it trounces you again, just for giggles. My brain is still not quite what it should be, and so I had quite a hard time wrapping my head around this bit of the story and finally just said, "Screw it. Here it is." I very much appreciated all your kind reviews and well wishes from last time. So I hope you'll like this chapter too, dear friends. And the title? Sing it, Billy Joel..._

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><p>"Seriously?" came the dry reply as he straightened up. "That's where I am?" Brushing at his damp sports coat and rumpled slacks in a most offended manner, Bernard asked, "And <em>why<em> am I here exactly?" He took off his glasses and examined them carefully before sneering, "You know, some people _work_ for a living. I could lose my job for leaving the museum unattended."

Everyone standing around listening looked at each other. "Well… here's the thing," Megamind began.

"Honey, the museum doesn't re-open until tomorrow," Donovan interrupted.

"_Re_-open?"

"He's been gone a while," Megamind explained.

Bernard listened as his captor disclosed the details of his kidnapping, making a valiant effort to be graciously apologetic for having taken such liberties with his face. "Wait. You mean, you put me in a cube and then pretended to _be_ _me_?" Bernard pushed his glasses up his nose, narrowing his eyes at the ex-villain.

"Yes. Briefly. Er, a few times actually." _How much do I have to tell him?_ Physically, nothing much had happened between Roxanne and 'Bernard' during that time. Emotionally, well, that was another story, but he hadn't borrowed the man's emotions. "You see-"

"Oh my _gawd_! You mean you got to be dehydrated and carried around by HIM! Right in the pocket of his _tight_ little pants, no fair!" Donovan cried jealously.

Megamind tried to protest that he didn't carry cubes around in his pants, but Bernard's nasally voice cut in again, "Well, I hope you didn't make me late for work. I'm always on time. I have a perfect record. If you ruined my -"

"Look. The museum -"

"Well! Aren't _you_ the lucky one," Donovan told the cranky curator, sizing him up as the two talked over the top of each other as well as their flustered host. "I'd give my left butt cheek to have my body invaded by the _fab_ulous new hero of Metrocity!" He gestured toward Megamind, not seeing him roll his eyes and throw up his hands at the disturbing implication that he had somehow _physically_ occupied his victim's body.

"_Metrocity_?" Bernard repeated.

Megamind looked from one to the other, growing more and more unnerved at the way things seemed to be getting out of hand. Yet another person showing up uninvited, invading his Lair? _Why don't I just put up a billboard – Here it is! - and invite the entire city in!_ His jaw tensed. And they were ignoring him, rudely interrupting his attempts to explain, blathering on and on like they owned the place. If they would both just shut up! Unconsciously his hand stole down to the de-gun at his side, fingers dancing over it lightly, tempted to do something drastic.

"Hero?" The bespectacled man looked him up and down dubiously. "Just what else have I missed while I was gone?" he demanded.

Megamind opened his mouth to reply but heard Donovan jump in again.

"Oh! You missed it _all_! You won't be-_lieve_ what's happened! It's been just the most fun this city's _ever_ _had_!" The man's eyes shone with a fanatical gleam as he began by spilling the beans about the museum being forced to close following the destruction of Metro Man's enormous statue. Bernard looked accusingly at Megamind who stood massaging his fingertips over his massive forehead, eyes closed in consternation. Finally deciding to play their own game against them, he butted in loudly to assure Bernard that he would personally see to it that he was reinstated as the museum's head curator.

Greeting the news with a dramatic sigh, Bernard appeared to find the promise of continued employment nothing but an unbearable burden, while Donovan prattled on happily, determined to explain to Bernard his version of how Megamind had saved the city from some deranged beefcake named 'Tighten'. Despairing of wresting control of the situation again from his troublesome guests, the aggravated alien folded his arms and waited for them to run out of steam. _If they ever do_, he thought.

Roxanne stood back, transfixed by the sight of the man she thought she'd been falling in love with side by side with the man who had actually stolen her heart in disguise. At the first glimpse of that familiar sports jacket and head of unruly hair, she had felt an unexpected rush of affection, as though she was being reunited with someone she hadn't even realized she'd been missing so much. And smiling down at him, she had been lost in the past for a moment, remembering the days of enjoying the lively company and intelligent conversation of an unexpected new friend. But at the first sound of his voice her initial reaction quickly dried up. Those dry, witless words did not belong to the person she knew as Bernard. And once he was on his feet, she could hardly believe the transformation in his appearance as well. The slouching posture and vacuous expression, his half-hooded eyes that were brown now, not green anymore… he looked as though some interior light had been snuffed out of him._ He looks like a half-deflated balloon_, she thought and turned to Megamind.

A smile touched her lips as she watched him listening to Donovan's colorful narrative, his thoughts clearly going a mile a minute elsewhere. _He is so easy to read,_ she chuckled to herself, watching the play of emotions across his face radiating the life and energy and intelligence that were so obviously missing from Bernard now. _How did I end up falling for this funny, blue alien? I always figured I'd end up with... well, some guy in a sports jacket. _But without a doubt, this was the person she had caught staring at her in the art museum with lovesick puppy eyes and laughed at as he went freewheeling wildly on a bike in the park. Bald and wily, leather and spikes... _No wait, _she reminded herself. _No spikes_. Frowning at the plain black outfit he wore now, she had to admit she felt disappointed at their absence. But why?_ Why is it bothering me so much that they're gone? It's not like they were part of who he really is. Not like the filigree. They were just... set dressing for his villain act. I probably would have told him to ditch them sooner or later anyway. _However, she could not shake the feeling that he just didn't look right without them, and she suddenly heard David's voice again, warning her_. His greatest weakness… he thinks he needs you._

Megamind was caught between distraction and despair listening to the flamboyant event planner embellish his tale outrageously, interrupted by indignant corrections from Minion. His anxiety level was through the roof between having his privacy invaded, seeing his alter ego rehydrated, not know what Roxanne must be thinking of it all, and still needing to clear up their misunderstanding of the previous evening… He jumped slightly as he felt a hand slip into the crook of his arm. Roxanne stood at his side. At her touch, his irritation evaporated. Without a word, she took a step back, still holding his arm, silently asking him to follow her. They slipped away from the small group, leaving Minion and Donovan disagreeing loudly about how to spell Hal's name while Bernard looked on, wide eyed in disbelief.

_Ok, she wants to talk_. He glanced over at her, trying to read her expression. _Now. Now that she's seen Bernard_. He glanced at her once, then again, trying to decipher the nuances of her face. _I could drive myself insane trying to figure this out, never knowing for sure what she wants. Is it always going to be this way?_ He thought about her hand in his instead, calmed by focusing on something concrete, definite, sure. He rubbed her fingers gently with his thumb. _It's still me here with you_. The way she griped his hand tighter in response somehow gave him hope.

Roxanne brought them to the curtain that hid his massive idea cloud from prying eyes. "Can we talk in here?" she asked.

"Of course."

Holding the curtain aside, they passed through it, out of sight of the others. Then she turned to him, taking a deep breath as he watched her nervously. _Just say it. It's time to stop being so afraid and just go for it. S_he caught a glimpse of the fading bruises at his neck._ And he deserves it._ _If he can put everything on the line for you, you can for him too._ "Megamind…" she began. Her confidence faltered. She wanted to take a deep breath and felt like she couldn't. "Um…" _Darn it. _"Why did you have Minion take the spikes off your leather?"

Surprised, he glanced down at his shoulders. "I thought you wanted me to dial back the evil image." He looked at her questioningly. "Isn't that what you wanted?" As she hesitated, he asked in a quieter voice, "Or… do you need me to change more than that? Do you… do you wish I looked like Bernard again?"

"What? No!" Jarred that he would even ask, she found she could breathe again. "Megs, haven't I made it pretty obvious I like the body you actually have? I mean… come on. Think about it."

"But you… I was afraid that after seeing him…" He stopped, utterly confused and wishing she would put him out of his misery. "Please just tell me what you want, Roxanne," he pleaded with his eyes as much as his voice. "I'm going crazy here."

_I know, sweetheart. I am too._ She took his hands in hers, took a step closer, and gently kissed him. Then opening her eyes, she looked into his intently. "I want the spikes."

He stared. _That's unexpected._ "You do?"

"Yes." Toe to toe, Roxanne let go of his hands to place hers gently on his chest. "Seeing Bernard in there, that's what I realized. Not that I want you to change even more… but that I've been thinking about this all wrong for so long. My whole life I thought I'd end up with some guy like him. Normal. Spike-less. _Boring_. And," she admitted shamefully, "I realized that's what I've been trying to turn you into. Making you into something different than what you are. Just to fit into my preconceived ideas." She looked at the wonderful face she loved and shook her head. "But I don't want him. And I don't want you to be like him." She felt his hands rest around her waist. "I don't want you to change at all. Not… a single… spike," she told him slowly. "In the end it's up to you, but I hope you'll tell Minion to put them back."

"Aren't they… kind of 'bad' for a hero though?" he asked, wrinkling his nose.

Eyes twinkling at the display of cuteness he didn't even realize he was treating her to, she smiled and inched closer. "Yeah. They kind of are. But I guess I like bad…" She looked at the blue bolt on his chest as her fingers smoothed over it slowly, "At least, I've always liked your brand of bad. I just didn't want to admit it." She met his eyes again. "Back when you kept insisting how _evil_ you were, I was _so_ conflicted trying to figure out how to hang onto my ideals and reconcile them with how attracted I was to you."

Where was she going with this? He almost couldn't believe what he was hearing as he listened with a sense of amazement. _She liked it all along… wow_.

"I knew for some reason I didn't want Wayne, the good guy, even though it seemed like I should. And I couldn't accept the idea of being with you, but you were the one I couldn't get out of my mind. Heck, I could hardly get you out of my bedroom!"

He smiled, remembering how difficult it had been for both of them. He hadn't been able to stay away. She had hardly been able to say no.

"That's why I was trying so hard to find one part of you that would let me define you the way I needed to think of you… so I could give myself permission to be with you." Looking down at the de-gun in his holster, she ran her fingers over it, thinking of the filigree there, remembering the way it had caught her eye as he'd circled around her chair. "What's worse is that even after you proved what's really inside you, I still kept doing it. And I'm sorry for that."

"No need to be sorry."

"Yes, there is." Her eyes met his again. "I walked in here today, my biggest worry how much I had embarrassed myself last night-" He started to speak, but she put a finger to his lips to stop him from going off on that tangent yet. "But when I saw you, what _really_ bothered me – what should have been bothering me all along - was what was missing." The finger over his lips fell to his mantle, tapping it. "It felt like part of _you_ was missing. And it really struck me that you would be willing to do that. Let me make you think that anything about you needed changed. _Lose_ part of yourself just because I said to let it go." She shook her head, blue eyes full of concern. "I don't want to ever make you question yourself that way again."

He didn't know what to say. "But I even thought you were right. You insisted the spikes and leather were all for show. Part of the game. And in a way they were."

"Even if they were," She looked up at the cards over their heads, then backed away from him. "Even if they were, it's like this." Seeing her gesturing above them, he looked up too, like looking up at the stars. "If this is you, one of those cards has 'spikes' written on it. And one says 'filigree'."

She turned in a circle, looking up at them. "One says 'funny' and another says 'playful'." She pointed. "And there's 'overly self-confident'." Megamind laughed, making Roxanne smile as she pointed more. "And 'fighter'... 'actor' and 'genius', 'artist' and 'inventor'… 'daredevil'… 'foolhardy' and 'brave' are there... 'determined' and not least of all 'hero'." Her heart swelled with affection seeing the look of wonder on his face as he viewed the complex structure, and himself, in an entirely new light.

She took his hand and pulled him back against the wall. "Everything you've been through and everything you've done has made you who you are. And when I step back to see the whole picture, I don't want it to have any holes. I don't want even the smallest part of you to be missing." She looked at him. "I want it all."

He looked over at her. "But, can I still be the hero everybody expects me to be… just the way I am?"

"No." She shook her head, thinking of how he'd refused to destroy Hal and refused to take advantage of her, despite her best attempts to convince him to do otherwise in both cases. "No, you aren't going to be the kind of hero everybody expects." She smiled as she put her arms around him. "You are going to be the most _hard rocking hero_ this city has ever seen." Her face was so close to his, he could see the little flecks of colors in her eyes like sparks igniting explosions of happiness inside him. "Megamind, you're the most natural-born hero I know, just the way you are. Spikes and all." One sweet kiss melted his heart like fire before she went on again. "Am I making myself clear?

"I think so. Yes."

"Don't change. Don't change the way you look or the way you act or the things you do, for me or anybody. You have to decide for yourself, believing in yourself from now on. Determine your own path. Just let me take it with you is all I ask." She started to kiss him, but then stopped to add, "And the next time you and Minion break into the zoo, I want to come too."

"Of course!" he nearly laughed. "We can do that tonight if you like."

"Mmm, I don't think so," she answered. "We have other plans tonight. That is," she added, "If you're planning to keep your promise."

"Oh." He paused. "Do you still want me to keep my promise?"

"I hope you will," Roxanne answered. "Because I have to tell you… seeing Bernard out there, standing next to you? I don't know what came over me." She grasped the edges of his cape, watching her hands. "I guess I realized that your spikes and leather are definitely part of what's been driving me crazy for so long." Her gazed traveled up to his goatee, and she pressed her lips to it. _No more holding back._ "The leather… and spikes… and everything else about you too…" Her eyes traveled the rest of the way to meet his. Her balled up fists on his cape pulled him closer. "And now that I know I can have it... if I don't get some _giant, blue head_ pretty damn soon…" Her voice dropped to a whisper as she leaned closer, her cheek glided along his until her voice tickled his ear. "I swear I'm going to pop."

A huff of breath left him as he stared over her shoulder. _Glory be, she did mean it._ "Well," he tried to answer lightly, "I couldn't be responsible for letting that happen. But..." He withdrew to check her reaction as he asked carefully. "Ah… just to clarify, which big blue head do you mean exactly?"

A smile lit Roxanne's face, one brow arching coyly. "Both."

His eyes followed the slow movement of her finger outlining the bolt down the front of his suit to where he held her close to him and her cleavage peeked from the under the buttons of her blouse. She caught him looking before their eyes met again. "And everything in between."

He sighed in relief. "And here I was afraid you might be wishing I still looked like Bernard."

"What was it exactly that you thought I didn't like?" she asked. "I know I've been holding back at times, but I've still been all over you, Megs. This amazing blue skin...? It makes me want to _lick_ you just about every time I see it." Watching his Adam's apple bob as his eyes widened, she went on, determined to be as bold as she had the night before. _This is more fun sober anyway_. "Or was it this sweet little chin fur here that tickles me when we kiss? And I'm sure could tickle me very nicely in other ways too. Don't think I haven't thought about that." One teasing fingernail ruffled it and smoothed it down again, hearing an answering growl rise in his throat as he bit his lip and closed his eyes. _Oh yeah... he's thought of it too_. "Maybe every incredibly well defined muscle your skin tight suit shows off. I've been wanting to put my hands all over you for soo long... And even if I was embarrassed later, what happened last night felt exactly right."

"It did." He agreed quietly. "It wasn't easy to hold back."

"I've been wanting you just the way you are. Even though I've been fighting that attraction pretty much ever since the first time you kidnapped me."

"Well, I can understand your fear," he answered suavely, "There are times I look in the mirror and scare myself, I'm so devilishly handsome." Grinning at her laughter, he smiled and felt a sense of relief and happiness. They were finally on the same page. "You know, when you walked in here today, you seemed a lot less certain than this. And I really thought…"

She rolled her eyes and sighed. "Yeah, I know. I'm... I'm just not used to letting myself go that much. Letting myself be that... open? vulnerable? I don't know." He was looking at her questioningly, not quite getting it. Maybe someday she would explain to him what had happened. Who had taught her it was safer to keep herself guarded. "And until I saw Bernard and you, and things just... suddenly seemed clear. Yeah, I was pretty embarrassed about what happened."

"But Roxanne, there was no reason for you to be embarrassed. I mean, how many times have I made a fool of myself over you?"

She glanced aside, smiling a little. "We-ell…"

"Exactly." He reached down and lifted one of her hands in his, holding it up to his mouth. "And I didn't find last night particularly embarrassing anyway. You didn't… do anything that I hadn't hoped you might do someday soon." He touched her fingers to his lips without kissing them, thinking about them touching him, before admitting, "My only complaint, albeit a small one, is that it really made getting any work done last night very difficult. I just couldn't stop thinking about it. About you." His green eyes were locked on hers as his lips barely brushed against her fingers. "So, I will definitely be keeping my promise tonight."

"I'm counting on it." Breathless, she watched his blue lips glide over her fingers while his eyes remained fixed on hers, setting off a tingling that spread down her arm and all through the rest of her body. When he finally dropped her hand, she quickly met his lips in a heated kiss, but broke away long enough to murmur, "As long as you don't think we're rushing."

"Rushing?" The word came out as a laugh_._ After holding back from her for what seemed like his entire life and in the last few weeks having come so close, so many times… _She's got to be kidding. _But feminine sensitivities required more delicate handling in general than the raging demands of male passions. At least, that's what he'd gathered over the years from popular sources on the subject. Not that they were always reliable. But he wanted to make Roxanne as happy with the entire experience as possible. So just in case she wasn't kidding… Propping an elbow against the wall, hand on his cheek and a smirk on his face, he proposed smoothly, "Would you prefer that I wine you and dine you first?"

"Are you asking me out?" she chuckled.

The seductive voice he answered in made her want to forget about dating and just jump him. "If you like. Our first 'official' date."

"Seems like the right way to do things, huh." Her eyes followed the course of one finger slowly tracing along the hollow at the base of his neck.

As he stood there enjoying the tingling sensation coursing through him from her touch, he realized that it was possible she wasn't actually all that interested in proceeding 'the right way'. Maybe she was feeling just as impatient as he was… especially considering last night which she seemed to be suggesting hadn't been entirely drug-induced at all. But presentation was everything after all, and he knew a good buildup of tension could make any special event a lot more satisfying in the end.

"There is one thing," she mentioned, looking up and interrupting his thoughts. "About making it our first date. A rule I have."

"Really?" Only half listening, he reached up to brush her hair aside.

"I never kiss on a first date."

He stopped and blinked. Her big blue eyes stared back at him. "Well. That'll make things... interesting."

Biting back a smile, she leaned so close he could feel the hum of her breath and the brush of her torso as she arched her body against his, offering, "I could make an exception for you though…"

He couldn't resist seeking a little more of that skin contact, brushing his lips over hers as he answered, "No, no... A hero would never encourage a lady to break her rules."

Her hands stroked down his chest and around the edge of the studded belt that rode low on his hips. "You make me want to break all my rules, Megs," she murmured, fingers sliding down, giving his butt a slow squeeze.

His mouth formed a silent oh and his eyes rolled closed at the husky sound of her voice, let alone the way she was willingly handling him again. No valium necessary. "Roxanne…" Words failed him as she teased the tip of her nose along the corner of his mouth as well. "Oh, angel…you won't have a rule left to break when I'm done with you."

His eyes opened and fixed on hers with a dark intensity that excited her. Their greenness nearly glowing against his blue skin, she wondered what sort of wild animal she'd just unleashed. He stepped closer, pressing her back against the wall and pausing to look at her lips before kissing them… a gentle kiss full of sweetness. Surprised, she looked at him, seeing him pull away just enough to gaze at her mouth again before he continued kissing her, taking his time, slowly building the tension between them until she thought she really would pop, just the way she'd said. His explorations of every curve of her mouth, teasing with the barest touch, nuzzling softly along the edge of her lower lip where it swelled and met her skin, made her breathless and impatient for more. She tried to press her lips to his, but he withdrew, giving her nothing more than the briefest kiss. A tease.

"Megamind..."

Then he finally gave her what she wanted, drawing her lip between his, sucking at it, his tongue playing along it before releasing it again, listening to her whining little moan. Finally he pinned her back against the wall, kissing her so hard their lips burned. And when he stopped, lifting his weight away from her, she was the one who pressed forward, arms pulling him back in again, asking for more.

_Well, if she wants to break the rules…_ His hands moved up along her sides, following her curves, caressing, lifting them to accent that creamy vee he found so irresistible as he bent his head to her neck, so soft and warm. He buckled at the knees and followed the path of exposed skin as far as he could, letting his chin rub her, his tongue darting out to taste her too, wondering how far she might let him go.

But she only tipped her head back, offering up more of herself, encouraging his ravaging, her hands at the back of his head. "Oh god… I had no idea my plan would work this well."

_She isn't going to stop me_. He paused to check that his sucking wasn't leaving a mark on her, nuzzling his nose against her incredibly silky skin and following it back up slowly, huffing the scent of it, each exhaled breath hot on her neck. "_Please_ tell me this is your evil plan," he murmured making his way toward her ear.

"It is," she answered. "One way or another," her voice dropped lower, "I am going to have you."

The tip of his nose slowly slipped up past her earlobe until his voice buzzed hoarsely into that sensitive canal. "I have never wanted to be the victim sooo much."

Roxanne smiled, biting her lip and squirming as his warm tongue explored her ear. Her fingers grasped at the back of his neck. "I promise to be gentle. It won't even hurt," she whispered.

"Not even just a little?" he begged, drawing his lips back from his teeth and nipping the tip of her lobe below her earring, making her gasp. "Please?"

"Megamind!" Her breathy laugh made him stop to smile at her wickedly. "You are so naughty."

"I _know_. I keep telling you… I really am a bad boy." His hands slid down over her hips as his eyes fixed hungrily on hers. "A very… bad…" Getting his hands full of her ample rear, he pulled her tightly against himself. "…_bad_ boy." One kiss melted into another and another while his fingers grabbed and slowly kneaded the curves he held, holding them together… and massaging her away only to pull her closer against himself again, feeling she just couldn't possibly be close enough this way… the warmth of his hands simply adding to her own body heat until it felt like they would burst into flames. He dropped at the knees to slide against her harder, his mouth on her neck.

"Oh my gosh, it's so wrong how much I love it when you're bad." Her hushed words drifted quietly toward the dark ceiling. The way he was pressing himself into her naturally made her want to be louder. She bit her lip as his hand traveled down her thigh, coaxing it up along his, pushing into her again. "Megs…" His mouth came back up to meet hers. Tongues meeting, hers gave way to let him inside as his hand slipped back up along her thigh and around her back to hold her tight.

_That suit… really isn't hiding anything at all… _Wrapping her leg around his, she could bring him even closer until they were melding in a most satisfying way. Although not quite satisfying enough. Thoughts of pushing him to the ground and completing their pantomime vied with the fear of being caught in the act. _Too risky. But I want to so much…_ She turned away from his mouth, trying to catch her breath, making an effort to get control herself again. It wasn't helping at all the way he just kept kissing her neck, moving down to her collarbone, across the opening of her shirt… _I wonder if we could just sneak back to his room…_

"I'll have Minion put the spikes back right away," he was murmuring to her between kisses.

"Oh good," she answered breathlessly, still wrestling with her idea, toying with it.

Suddenly he stopped, resting his head against hers, chest heaving… She wondered if maybe he needed to collect himself before things got too out of hand for him to hold back his physical reactions any longer. But breathing heavily, his green eyes traveled over every feature of her face… until his gaze dropped to her swollen lips, and one hand stole up to lift her chin. He kissed, sweetly and softly, making her dizzy with pleasure_._ Then his mouth was pressing into hers harder again until they heard a familiar voice call, "Sir?... Ms Ritchie?"

The air around them seemed to crackle like static electricity as their lips separated reluctantly. "Speak of the devil…" Megamind growled.

"Oh, looovebiiirds!" They heard Donovan call boldly after Minion's more tentative inquiry. "Much as I hate to interrupt whatever _isn't_ happening," his giggle echoed in the spacious Lair, "we r_ea_lly need to finish up! Come on, kids… I have _so much_ to do before to-morrow!"

With a mutual sigh they shared a final lingering kiss, hugging tightly. "At least now we know where we stand," Roxanne murmured against his cheek.

"Yes, we do." His lips strayed along her temple. "Feet on the ground… head in the clouds…" He pressed his nose to hers. "Heart in your hands."

She closed her eyes. "Oh Megs..." She could have happily passed the rest of the day standing there with him, snuggled in his arms with the certainty of his love and desire wrapped closely around her.

He stepped back from her with a sweet smile, taking her hands, and pulled her away from the wall to himself, giving her a quick kiss. But as she withdrew again, his eyes lingered on her lips… Suddenly he pulled her closer again, craving one more, longer kiss… thinking of their evening to come… His fingers reached into her hair, cradling her head, holding it close to his own, feeling her just as willing as he was to dally a little longer as her arms wrapped around him again.

"Sir?"

With a groan he halted their make out session for the second time, wishing Minion and everybody else would go jump in the lake, but the grin on Roxanne's face soothed his annoyance, reassured him she understood and felt the same way and somehow found the situation funny. He smirked at her fondly as they turned to walk back toward the group hand in hand, but not before he cleared his throat and made a minor adjustment below the belt. Roxanne snickered.

"I didn't see that," she said.

"Oh yes, you did." One long arm snaked around her waist, quickly pulling her over to plant one last kiss on her cheek before they came into view of the others, trying to look as calm and innocent as possible.

"Well! It's about time you showed up again!" Donovan scolded them with a twinkle in his eye. He looked at his watch. "And I hate to say it, but my time here is _up_."

"Already?" Roxanne protested. "What about our dance?"

"You know what to do. And if you don't, _he_ does. Just follow his lead and you can't go wrong, girl. You can do that, right? Show me."

They looked at each other. Before she had time to feel nervous or think twice, Megamind spun her smoothly into a few of the steps they'd been taught, leading her with barely a wobble and finishing up dipping her in a tight embrace, his eyes fixed on hers with a wolfishly wicked smile that told everyone in the room he'd eat her up just as surely as any wild animal.

Their small audience stood stunned. Donovan elbowed Minion and Bernard simultaneously like a spastic chicken, squeaking, "Did you _see_ that? Or was it just me?" He looked up at the fish whose mouth hung wide open. "Well, _he_ saw it."

He turned to them, "Whoo! Is it hot in here, or is it _you_? Some of that was _not_ anything you learned from _me_, but I have _nooo_ problem with it! Feel free to ad lib! Just keep in mind your audience will include the kiddie crowd, so no _really_ dirty dancing please or I could lose my job. Al-_though_… if you want to, you can give me a private viewing of that later…" He looked from one to the other soberly, then flapped his hands. "_Just_ kidding!"

"OK! Now!" he continued. "Your homework for tonight is to go _dan_cing, of course. I want you to get a few hours practice in at the Lizard Lounge. You know the place on 7th? You don't have to just do all this interpretive stuff either." He waved a hand around. "Have _fun_! I want you two to get familiar and comfortable with each other, cause chemistry just makes everything on stage flow like _butta_. Although from what we just sa-aw…!" He paused to bite a knuckle, eyes aglow, before breathing, "I _don't_ think you're going to have _aany_ problems!"

"Um, aren't we… going to attract a lot of attention?"

Donovan took hold of Roxanne's shoulders gently, looked her in the eye, and clucked his tongue at her, "Ho-ney... Everybody _knows_. Belieeve me." He glanced over at her blue partner. "Hell, apparently we all knew before you did! And if you're worried about your big, strong, hero there being mobbed by adoring fans? I got your back." He winked at her. "I know the owner!" Then kissing her cheeks, he murmuring something about staying fabulous. He turned to Megamind, arms open wide, brows raised in a silent request.

Megamind demurely held up a hand. "Uh, heh, I'll pass." As the planner dropped his arms, pouting in disappointment, he added, "But thank you for your help."

Finally Donovan turned to Minion. "All right, monkey boy, get the knock up spray. I'm ready to go. Just _send_ me back to City Hall!" With a second thought, he looked back at Roxanne. "Oh, honey. I still need that dress."

"I'll make sure I get it to you there by lunch. What are you going to do with it?"

"Oh, you'll see!" He winked at her. "Just leave it to Donovan!" Then casting a roguish eye on Bernard, he purred, "You wanna share a cab?"

Bernard eyed him skeptically in return as he dryly responded, "I'm not letting them spray _me_ with-"

Minion caught him over one arm as he sank to the floor from a sneaky squirt of the potent formula. Donovan chuckled. "You're good at that," he complimented the henchman just before the blackness claimed him as well.

Megamind heaved a sigh at finally being relieved of the two men.

"Off we go!" Minion announced cheerfully, nearly as glad to be done with them as his boss. Easily toting an unconscious figure over each giant shoulder pad, he walked to the invisible car. "Be back soon!"

Seeing him drive away, Roxanne turned to Megamind again. "And I really have to get going too. Unfortunately."

"I know. I have several things to do yet today too. But I'll see you tonight. Around eight?"

"That sounds good."

She pulled out her cell phone to call for a cab, but he put a hand over it to suggest, "Why don't I give you a lift?"

She frowned slightly. "But Minion has the car."

With a hand at her back and a smugly superior expression, he steered her toward a drape-covered shape sitting in a corner. "That's not my only mode of transportation… " Whipping off the sheet dramatically, he sang, "Ta-da!"

"You fixed it!" Before her stood the jetbike she had ridden at breakneck speed through downtown Metro City, not knowing it was Minion on the seat with her, riding it literally into the ground to save their lives from the runaway tower. The brainbots had collected its pieces and returned them home to be put back together. Fully restored, its black paint no longer had a scratch, and its chrome gleamed in the dark as Megamind ran a hand over it fondly. "Wow… That brings back memories."

"Yeah. For me too." He looked up at her. "I watched you and Minion take that ride. And I hoped I'd get a chance to actually make it you and I on there for real some day. Minus the life-threatening building sneaking up behind," he amended. "So what do you say?"

"Um… ok," she agreed.

Throwing a leg over it, he straddled the seat and held out his hand to her.

"What's its top speed?" she suddenly wanted to know.

His face lit up. "You wanna find out?" he excitedly asked.

"_Not_ right now!" she protested before noticing that he was kidding. Narrowing her eyes at his chuckling, she let him help her on in front of him, riding sidesaddle to accommodate her skirt.

It started with a purr as he put his mouth to her ear. "Would you prefer to drive?" He showed her where everything was, and watched as she griped the sensitive throttle, unintentionally revving the engine to a roar. "I know... I know…" he soothed, patting the high-powered machine, "She does the same thing to me."

* * *

><p>Hal came to with a gasp, grabbing for the arms of the chair he sat in. Last he knew, he'd been falling from the museum's statue thanks to a deranged squirrel seemingly intent on gnawing his head off. But not any more. Dazed and disoriented, he blinked as he looked around the quiet room, seeing a grey-haired man with a moustache whom he recognized as the warden watching him carefully. Just behind him stood a taller, slender, sandy-haired man, arms folded, looking very unimpressed. <em>So I'm back in prison.<em> He glanced down. Still wearing the half-charred sweatshirt he'd had on before, he wondered just where in the prison he was. The room didn't look like part of the jail at all.

From around his chair, another person came into view. "Megamind…"

"Hello, Hal."

"Don't you mean 'Tighten'? That's the name you gave me. And that's what I intend to go by for the rest of my illustrious career," he answered. "You might as well get used to it."

"Ok then, _Titan_." He stopped himself from spelling the name out correctly for his semi-literate, wayward protégée. "I just thought I'd stop in to see how you're enjoying your new accommodations."

"What? This is a cell?" He looked at the cartoony rabbits on the walls cavorting alongside the kittens playing with their red string. "Looks like the reject room at the local day care center."

"Yes..." Megamind mused, looking around at the walls. "Homey, isn't it?" He looked back down at the man sitting in the swivel chair. "This was my room, you know."

_So that's why they think they can keep me locked up in here? Ha! Yeah, right. I'll blow through these walls and be outta here faster than he ever did_. "Yeah well, I hope you won't mind seeing it blown to bits when I leave."

"Good luck with that." A look passed between the warden and Megamind. "There's one thing I want you to keep in mind though."

"Oh yeah? What?"

"You owe Roxanne."

The truculent man wrinkled his nose in disbelief. "Roxanne? For what?"

"You'd be dead right now but for her." He explained how the plucky reporter had been the one to stop his mortal fall. "Without any super powers… without any reason _why_ except for her own conviction in what's right… even after what you did to her. She saved your life."

"Yeah, well, her mistake."

The alien was an inch from his face in the blink of an eye, his words ground out menacingly from between his teeth. "It'll be your mistake if you ever come after her again. Because next time, _nothing_ will save you." He stepped back. "That's a promise from me to you for her. I made you to be a hero. But she is more of a hero than _you_ will ever be." Hal frowned back at him, clearly baffled. "Think about it."

Swiftly he turned to walk out of the room, followed by the warden and the prison's physician. "Oh yeah?" Hal suddenly called after him. "Oh yeah? Well… It's a good thing I don't have my powers back yet! Or… or you'd be sorry you got in my _face_! We'll meet again, Megamind. I'm going to be a better villain than you ever were. I'm going to be the greatest villain this cit-"

The door clanged shut, effectively silencing him. "Blah blah, blah blah," the man in black muttered, picking up the de-fuser from where he'd left it by the door.

"Looks like it'll do the trick then," Richard Doyle smugly commented.

"Yes," Megamind answered, hefting the gun over his shoulder. "But if it doesn't, I'll be more than happy to make good on that promise."

* * *

><p>"Roxanne!" Her boss's voice boomed into her cubicle.<p>

She spun around in her chair to face him. "Yes?"

"I have a story for you to cover at the zoo."

"The zoo again?"

"Yep. The donors are up in arms over the number Tighten did to the enclosures. They want our new hero to fix them all."

"Oh, for crying out loud…" she muttered. "Like it was _his_ fault. Ok, I'll head over after lunch." She turned back to her desk.

"No, you have to go now."

"Now?" She looked at him again.

"Sorry. They called a luncheon meeting for the biggest sponsors to discuss it, and I want you there when they come out. Get some sound bytes."

"Agh, fine. You're a slave driver, Dan, you know that?"

Hands in his pockets, he grinned to himself. "You'll thank me later."

"Yeah, right..." she murmured, grabbing her purse.

* * *

><p>Walking up to the zoo's main gates yet again, Roxanne was looking around for the cameraman Dan had assured her would meet her there when she heard a voice at her ear. "Come here often?"<p>

"Oh, hi! Yeah, I guess I do. Twice in two days, right? And what are you doing here?" she turned to see Megamind walking right behind her. "They didn't call you in to attend this meeting, did they? Because I think it's ridiculous that-"

"Not exactly," he interrupted. "You see, I'm your cameraman."

"You… what?" She looked at him in surprise.

"Aaand… there isn't any meeting. Unless you count the one we're having right now." Pulling a bag of peanuts out from behind his back, he asked, "Can we call this our first date?"

* * *

><p>"So you got Dan to do your evil bidding for you, huh?" Sitting on a blanket in the sun, she tossed a peanut toward the squirrels that kept darting down from the trees nearby. A picnic basket provided by Minion sat beside them, its contents already consumed.<p>

He grinned, reaching into the bag as well. "That's right. I called and told him you needed an extended lunch after the day you had yesterday. As well as to ensure that he would have the exclusive rights to the true story of what happened. He agreed. Of course."

She chuckled. "You certainly figured out how to pull strings quickly in this game."

"Well! I am a genius after all," he shrugged modestly.

"So how can we know for sure which squirrel is our squirrel?" She threw another nut which was quickly claimed by one of the many furry creatures around them.

"I guess we can't." He threw a small handful, scattering them widely. "But we know it came from this general area, and that's where it was returned. So if we feed enough of them, more than likely we'll have rewarded the right one eventually."

"Gotcha." She tossed the last of the nuts in the grass and wiped her hands down her skirt. He lay down on the blanket, putting his head in her lap and closing his eyes with a happy sigh as she looked down at him thoughtfully and began to trace her fingers over his cranium. "I bet you're tired. Did you sleep at all last night?"

"Caught a nap. But no, I didn't sleep much." The warm sun and her gentle touch relaxed him very quickly.

"Why don't you go ahead and sleep? I'll wake you up again in a little while."

"Flake out on you on our first date? No way."

"Better now than on our second date."

"Ah! Yes, that's true."

She knew what he'd been thinking. With her no kissing policy, he wanted to get that first date out of the way before their evening together. Bending, she brushed her nose back and forth over his forehead, blue skin so warm and smooth against hers. It was hard to hold back… her lips pursed, drawn to him like a magnet.

"Careful," he warned with a smile, eyes still closed. "Don't break your rule."

"This isn't kissing," she protested. "It's just… nuzzling." A sighing hum escaped him as she continued.

Sitting up again, she looked down on him thoughtfully. The expression on his face was priceless. Eyes closed, brows raised, slight smile… she wasn't sure if he was falling asleep or just floating on a wave of bliss, but she let her fingers drift along his face, caressing those features she loved. Following down the length of his angular cheek, drifting slowly under the edge of his jaw from his ear to the pointed chin punctuated by its precise stripe. Her hand moved up to coast over the top of his head, and he groaned and shifted closer, resting his temple against her abdomen, an arm around her waist. _Well, what's the good of having a 'bad boy' boyfriend if you're not going to break the rules? _As she was about to bend again to kiss him good and proper, she heard a tiny snore and stopped. Leaning on one arm, the other cradling that impressive skull, Roxanne smiled and watched him sleep. _Tonight._


	37. Bring On the Night

"… Megamind." The voice sounded faint and far away. "… Me-egs…"

Swimming up into consciousness again, he squinted against the bright sunlight before even opening his eyes, his body warm and relaxed despite feeling rather stiff in the neck. He was still lying in Roxanne's lap.

"Come on, sleepyhead. Time to wake up."

Blinking one eye open, he looked up into the bright blue sky and bright blue eyes. Closing it again he groaned, tightening the arm that still lay around her hips while she stretched the stiffness from her own back. "Cnn't be… only bnnn sleep a fww mmnutes…"

Smiling as she hugged the considerable skull to her stomach, she assured him, "I know you're tired and I wish I could let you sleep longer, but…"

He groaned again and hung on tighter.

"Hmm, let's see." Tickling her fingers up the back of his neck, she murmured thoughtfully, "What could I do to help you wake up…?" Bending, she rubbed her lips over his skin again the way she had before and breathed hotly on the ear that faced her. A throaty laugh rumbled against her torso. "The sooner you wake up, the sooner we can get to tonight, you know." The rumble turned to a veritable growl, his face still buried against her shirt. She smirked to herself as she walked her fingertips over his head to his ear and lightly spiraled around it, concentrating on watching it draw closer and closer to its warm, blushing goal. The growl grew louder.

In a second the world spun and the surprised reporter found herself on her back, staring up at mischievous green eyes and wondering how she'd gotten there. She giggled. "Apparently that works."

"Yes, and with consequences." He stole an illicit kiss.

"Ooo… you bad man… No regard for the rules at all," she pretended to scold as he smirked down at her wickedly.

"You know you like it," he hissed.

Eyes locked on his blue lips, she grabbed the front of his suit and pulled him closer again. "Shut up and kiss me…"

All too soon they realized how much attention they might be capable of garnering in such a public place. "Hey, Mom! Look! It's-"

Breaking apart, they both glanced up to the nearby footpath, seeing a mother ushering her rubbernecking young son quickly away. "Well, at least there wasn't any screaming," Megamind commented. "This time." That much was an improvement. He offered his lady a hand up from the blanket as well. _Must learn to keep these things under control in public places. At least for the sake of propriety_.

As they began to pack up, Roxanne thought about Donovan's assertion. _Everybody knows?_ She couldn't help wondering, worrying a little, if it was due to Tom's articles. She certainly didn't want to give credence to the rumors he'd stirred up, fueling any more misunderstanding about her sorely abused sweetheart who'd suffered enough of that in his life already, sullying the start of his new life or her own established career. Possibly hurting her credibility as a reporter. She thought of mentioning it to Megamind as they gathered things off the grass and stowed them, preparing to leave. Would it hurt his feelings though to suggest they still try to keep things on the QT?

Or was Donovan right, she wondered as they folded up the blanket, their hands brushing as they brought the corners together, barely aware of what they were doing, eyes and thoughts on each other. _I think we all knew before you did._ Had it been that obvious to the public how they'd both felt? Like a television drama where the audience senses the chemistry between characters long before it's actualized on the screen? She felt a bit of a fool thinking that that might be true. Especially when she'd fought that chemistry for so long and thought she'd been doing a good job of hiding her feelings_. I could ask a friend or two if they noticed… man, then I'd really feel like an idiot._

Megamind picked up their compact bundle of provisions and turned to her with a smile, hand outstretched. Her own smile answered his spontaneously as she slipped her fingers between his. _I can't do it. How could I crush that smile?_ The thought of casting yet another shadow over his newfound certitude, stirring up doubts again, was too much. And she realized that some part of her wanted people to know, wanted to force the public to come to terms with their relationship, just as much as another part felt a need to hide and protect what they'd only just come around to sorting out for themselves.

As they strolled back out of the zoo, she asked, "So where are you headed next? Checking on the rest of the building sites?"

"Yes, although they're nearly finished."

"Nice that the bots can work around the clock. This has to be a record as far as time needed for any sort of public works to be completed, and on this scale? Unheard of. You know how long it usually takes for the city to accomplish anything."

"After this maybe I'd better slow them down. If I'm not careful, they'll promote me from Defender to _City Construction Worker_!" he declared dramatically.

Roxanne laughed. "That would be almost as miraculous. Getting projects done – _on time_! City Construction Worker to the rescue! Or at least his bots."

"Eh, well, they do need to be overseen occasionally." There were certain tasks with which the fickle little creations had to be monitored closely. They weren't always reliable when it came to choosing between options. But program in a set of plans or give them a formula to run, and they would make exactly what you wanted them to. "I also have a meeting with the city engineers to inspect the overpass. But before all that, I have a… personal visit to make."

* * *

><p>No explosion, no deafening boom and burst of light heralded the arrival of the figure standing in the doorway to the offices of the Metro City Flash, but as soon as he stepped in and scanned the room, every face turned his way, looking just as devastated as if he had blasted a hole clean through the wall. Tom Raines lifted out of his chair to see over the top of his cubicle, then shrank back like a turtle into its shell as the green eyes briefly met his in the course of surveying the scene.<p>

Cringing, he cursed his reaction and eyed the flimsy partition that separated him from the formidable person he was sure was going to pounce from around it at any moment. _There are witnesses here. He can't do anything to me. _Nervously, he peered over the wall again and watched the black and blue figure sweeping down the aisle… realizing that his personal workspace wasn't the man's target at all. Then he noticed what the caped alien carried before him with a set expression of distaste, and another quiet oath escaped him.

Everyone could see into the fishbowl of an office their boss occupied. Its half-glass partitions allowed him to monitor them constantly and them to know it. Not a word broke the weighty silence in the room as they saw him rise from his seat, faintly alarmed, as Megamind entered and then deliberately closed the door behind him. Half of the office's occupants glanced toward the front door, looking for an avenue of escape only to realize it was guarded by the well-known aquatic sidekick. His massive hairy arms crossed in front of him and the pugnacious set to his serrated jaw discouraged any thought of trying to sneak out.

All eyes were glued on the scene playing out in the office of their fearless leader and ears strained, expecting fireworks to erupt at any moment, but there was no shouting or even visible evidence of histrionics. The city's new defender, his back to them all, appeared to be speaking very calmly to their boss, who had sat back down and was listening intently, speaking only a word or two here and there in response. After a few moments, a familiar camera was handed over the desk to the grizzled newsman who took it carefully, as though it might bite him, and suddenly the large blue head turned back, emerald eyes zeroing in on one particular employee.

"Shit."

"Nice knowin' ya…" Someone murmured from over the top of a partition.

The two men conferred further, then they all saw their boss nod and stand up again as the shorter but quietly forceful blue personage turned and walked out. He made his way to the door without a second glance at any of them. Minion opened it for him, and they exited just as they'd arrived, leaving everyone breathing a collective sigh of relief and feeling as though they'd survived a potential catastrophe.

Tom was staring thoughtfully after the retreating figures when he heard his name called.

"I'd like to see you, please."

Reluctantly making his way to the fishbowl, he also pulled the door closed behind him, knowing every one of his snoopy colleagues was still watching and listening.

"Sit down."

"I'd rather not, Paul," he answered truculently, shoving his hands in his pockets.

"Whatever." His boss leaned forward slightly over the camera on his desk. "Tom… do you recall I told you that you had one more chance to get this story right?"

Tom's mouth twisted sideways.

His boss looked at him levelly. "You didn't get it right, Tom." He leaned back in his chair and repeated, "You didn't get it right at all. See, the problem isn't that you didn't go after a great story. The problem is that you face a lawsuit now-" Seeing Tom opening his mouth to speak, Paul only continued louder. "-and I'm not going to go to court for you. Not in this case." He shook his head. "He told me what happened."

"And you believed him?" Tom demanded defensively.

Paul pushed the large black camera across the desk toward him. "No reason not to. The whole thing is right there." His face betrayed his true feelings about what the photographs showed. Despite the often shady business they were engaged in, he had no love for the utter lack of concern for another's well being his employee had adopted in order to get them. "You're off this story. Permanently."

"WHAT?"

"No more of _this_," he stabbed a finger at the camera. "You're a liability now. And I'm not going to let you drag the rest of this office or this publication down with you into legal hell. You think it can't be done? You know who we're dealing with here? He has more pull than you. This story is finished. You want to cover another angle about him? Fine. You get some solid evidence of any other kind of shenanigans going on? Go for it. But leave out Roxanne Ritchie." Megamind had made it perfectly clear that she was the sticking point as far as he was concerned, even going so far as to leave himself still wide open for the chase. The man obviously understood that even negative publicity could be useful in some ways, and Paul respected that.

Tom gritted his teeth and kicked at the desk. "This is a mistake. When did you start letting marks tell us what we can and can't report about them? You'll regret that. You're going soft, Paul." Anger made him reckless with his words, and he noticed the glint in the other man's eye too late.

"There's going soft, and there's being smart. I'm not going to regret this… but you will if you don't shut it down, _now_." His boss looked at him with narrowed eyes. Knowing Tom, he was sure this had turned into a personal matter, but an emotional attachment to a story could often make for bad judgment in reporting. And in this case Tom's bad judgment could bring down the whole tabloid. He leaned back with finality as though washing his hands of the matter. "Let it go. Or I'll be forced to let you go."

Mouth clamped shut, Tom grabbed the camera off the desk and stalked from the room, bouncing the door off the wall as he pulled it open hard. Some of his co-workers averted their eyes as he stormed past, some openly stared. Back in his cubicle, Tom threw himself into his chair and slammed the camera down on his desk, glaring darkly. Suddenly he picked it up again and looked to see if the photos he'd taken the day before were still on the card. They were. _That idiot didn't even delete them. Wow, some genius._ Barely pausing, he picked up his phone and dialed.

"Yeah."

"Owen? It's Raines. I have a proposal for you."

"Oh yeah? What's up?"

Explaining the situation, Tom offered the ill-gotten photographic record to his journalistic rival. "No naming sources."

The man gave skeptical snort. "You think he isn't gonna know?"

"I don't give a shit if he knows. I want it out there for everybody to see."

"Ok, man. It's your funeral."

They agreed on a price and chose a place and time to meet.

* * *

><p>An unlikely pair sat in an even more unlikely vehicle in a very unlikely place for them to be found, just outside the offices of the Metro City Flash. The high-tech camouflage of the silent Hudson shimmered against the street as Megamind listened grimly to the wiretap his sidekick had planted. Finally he looked over at Minion and gave him a thumbs up.<p>

"I can't wait to get my hands on him," the gentle fish muttered with surprising rancor.

He calmly removed the headphones once the call ended. "All in good time, Minion. This will have to be handled just right. Roxanne doesn't like it when I stray too far into the dark side." _Well, not so far as to risk jail time again._ He had a few hours before Tom would be attempting the exchange. Just enough. With a eager maliciousness he suggested, "Let's go find this O-wen. I'd like to show him some of my watch's special features."

* * *

><p>After a brief visit to her young cameraman, sitting in the hospital looking as bright and ready to return to his job as any junior newsman with a concussion ever was, and a stop at City Hall, Roxanne returned to work and was immediately dragged into the seclusion of Dan's office to be grilled about the events of the previous day. Having been tipped off by the new hero about the story that no one else had even sniffed out yet, he demanded to know what had happened and when they might expect her to go public with it.<p>

"The museum's re-dedication is tomorrow, Dan. I'm already covering that for you, and I don't want to overshadow it."

"Well, when?"

Her impatient employer seemed oblivious to her reluctance to relive the harrowing experience so soon after it had happened. She sighed. "Sully is being released from the hospital… well, about now, I expect. He can be interviewed and give his version of events as a corroborating witness. Victim, even. And I can get Megamind to give us another interview too… How about doing this as a Sunday evening special?"

"You'd do that?" Suddenly realizing how much his top reporter had been through, he uncharacteristically hesitated to accept her offer to get on it as quickly as possible. "You've been through a lot. Plus it doesn't give you much time to get everything together since you're going to be awfully busy tomorrow too."

"Well, how about if we have Vera report it? She'll do it justice, I'm sure."

Wide-eyed, Dan stared at his favorite reporter. "Are you feeling ok? Did I actually just hear you say you'd pass the story off to Vera?"

Granting him a patient look, she argued, "Look, I'm going to be getting enough attention over this. If we have her do it, it'll seem more objective. I'd like to retain control of it is all."

"Ok! If that's how you want to do it. Let's call her in."

Although the less well-known woman had always been jealous of the sassy reporter's success, upon hearing Roxanne's story she was genuinely compassionate about her most recent misadventures. The fact that Roxanne had chosen her to report the incredible scoop excited and won her over until she was determined to make it the best story she possibly could for both their sakes. Roxanne worked with Vera most of the rest of the day.

Back at home, she let herself into her apartment and immediately kicked off her shoes. Walking to the couch, she wiggled her protesting toes on the carpet with a sigh. _What a long day._ Plopping down, she rested her head against the back of the couch and let herself unwind, thinking of how it had begun. Waking up from a drug-induced night's sleep and the meeting at the Lair. Opening her eyes, the first thing she saw was the rest of the idea cloud hanging from her ceiling. She smiled, thinking of the two of them talking under the larger cloud of paper notes in the Lair.

_And the day is far from over. _A thrill passed through her at the thought of the evening ahead she was planning to share with the amazing man who'd created what she was looking at. She paused at the innocuous word, man._. I'm about to sleep with an alien._ She blinked at the thought and frowned. _An alien. That word just doesn't seem right for him. _But there was no denying he was beyond human_. What if they don't have sex the same way we do? We're two different… what, species? What if he expects something really… different… what if _he's_ different? _She had felt his body next to hers, moving against her in all the right ways, had even touched him briefly, but clothing could hide a lot and so many unknowns remained.

_I must be overtired_, she thought as the feelings of uncertainty made her nervous. It was funny how when she'd kept herself away from him, she'd had no problem accepting without question her body's response to his and his to her and the idea of them being intimate. But now that it was coming down to the wire, all manner of anatomical and mechanical and biological questions were popping up in her thoughts… _Well, the rest of him looks human enough, so most likely… All except that giant blue head. "If I don't get some giant blue head pretty soon…_ "Her cheeks burned pink again as a self-conscious grin spread over her face. _Yep, I said it, _she chuckled to herself._ And he barely batted an eye. I think he liked it actually._

The cards slowly twisted in the air that had been stirred up by her return home, their equations and formulas fluid as brushstrokes. Sighing, she pondered their beauty, thinking that it had all come from him. Out of his mind and heart. _Does it really matter? …I want to be with him. We can't be that much different… Can we?_ Unbidden, David Morrow's offer to answer any questions she might have interrupted her musings. _He told me I wasn't ready to ask them yet… Damn it! Why is he always right?_ Instead of feeling frustrated, she laughed and glanced over at the phone.

_No. Megs and I can work this out on our own. I'm sure he's thought about all of this long before me. Grew up in a prison with a bunch of randy men… he probably knows more about sex than I do. Even though... Remember, Roxanne, he's the newbie here._ She was tired. Her eyes slowly closed again, remembering the way he made her feel, the way her body knew just what it wanted and his did too. And the two halves seemed to line up…_ Ok, really? What the heck am I worried about?_ She sat letting herself drift away on the memory of his kisses and caresses and that lean blue body that she'd wanted so long pressing into hers and finally not feeling like there was any reason to stop it… _Tonight_. She opened her eyes. _Now what am I going to wear?_

* * *

><p>He had always loved dancing. From his earliest days of incarceration, the warden had brought the small alien boy classic movies to watch, trying to provide some sort of wholesome influence and positive idea of what this tellurian world could be like outside the prison walls, knowing he couldn't stay locked away forever. Of it all, he'd been most attracted to the dancing. With Minion as his only audience, he imitated his heroes of the screen, particularly Gene Kelley in <em>Singing in the Rain<em>, and found that moving to music came naturally to him. Somehow it provided a respite from the incessant activity of his brain and later from the deep sadness he experienced over his failure to fit in at shool.

Once he had escaped prison, it had been tempting to go out to the clubs he knew were downtown, vibrant in the night with energy and life. The thumping bass one could hear from outside their walls called to him, but by this time he understood full well what an outsider he was. And would always be. Ever hopeful, he found it too much to resist the thought that maybe here, where everyone was dancing, he might fit in. So he'd ventured inside to join the throngs of young people moving as one to the incessant beat with an early version of the holowatch and the darkened venue to disguise him. But soon he'd left again, still alone, still disconnected from the rest of society. Most of the crowd had someone to dance with or a group to join, and he didn't. Until now.

"Sir? I've asked you the same question three times."

"Huh? Oh. Sorry. What?"

Minion, in full tailoring mode, smiled at his ward's distracted state as his metal digits indicated the fit of a particular area of his leather jacket. "I wondered if this shoulder was too tight? Buuut, I think you might have other things on your mind at the moment."

"I guess I do," he answered, still barely listening.

"Sir?" the fish ventured carefully. "Are you possibly… _slightly…_ nervous about your date with Ms Ritchie this evening?"

"Nervous? What? Phffft, no." Trying to sound flippant, he laughed the question away but his expression turned serious again in a moment as he continued to wrestle with his inner demons.

"Well, I think I'm done here." Megamind turned to look at himself in the cracked full-length mirror, Minion visible just behind him, smiling at his reflection and his handiwork while muttering that he still needed to replace that glass. He'd dressed his boss in what to him passed as street clothes while retaining his friend's singularly unique sense of style.

The dark jeans he'd been able to pull out of storage, hardly ever used, along with the stretchy black shirt from the far back of a closet. With electric blue piping on the seams, its standing collar split by a hidden zipper installed in the front before he'd begun putting them in back instead, it had always reminded him of Megamind's parents, the memory of them looking into their pod still vivid after so many years. Minion knew his friend had the same impression of the shirt, which was why he'd put it away long ago. It pleased the sentimental fish to see him wearing it now at such a significant juncture in his life.

The black leather jacket had been a vintage piece they'd acquired by happenstance, thrown in as an extra along with the two Harley engines they'd bought from a former Hell's Angel who'd had a mid-life crisis and decided to join a monastery. Megamind had glommed onto it immediately, loving the classic lines and look of the worn leather and buckles, insisting it be tailored to fit him although cutting down the extra large size to his boss's finer proportions had taxed Minion's ability to the extreme.

He had added material to lengthen and widen the collar as well, turning it down until it created a sort of mantle across the shoulders. The back still stood tall though, protecting his boss's slender neck from unexpected blows as well as drafts. Then he'd pulled out his box of silver studs and added a familiar bolt pattern down the back of the jacket to compliment those that encircled the wrists and belt at the fitted waist. Realizing that Roxanne had apparently declared a fondness for the hardware since he'd been instructed to return all spikes to their usual places again, he was glad he'd used the flat spots. She shouldn't have to worry about being uncomfortable as they danced and… well, whatever else they did.

The ensemble exuded an air of 'rock star' which suited the blue figure. But it was the hidden element Minion was most proud of. He smiled to himself wondering when or if either of the couple might notice what he'd added. In their distracted state of mind, probably not. Content with his work, he felt the clothing would allow his boss to blend in with the nightlife, even though – glancing at the bald blue cranium - he knew he would never completely blend in no matter what he wore. At least this way he wasn't going to stick out like a sore thumb among the others in his working suit and cape.

Megamind's more tentative smile betrayed his feelings as he stared at himself and then sighed.

"So! I think you're ready."

"Am I?" As they stood still looking in the mirror together, he finally admitted, "I hope so. If there was ever anything I wanted to do right, Minion, this would be it."

_Am I supposed to pretend I don't know about tonight, or…_ "Sir, I think you and Ms Ritchie will find your way just fine."

The worried eyes stared into the glass as he seemed to think aloud. "She's trusting me. I realize that. It's just that I don't want to disappoint her. I mean," he shrugged. "Yes, I'm a genius. But this isn't an area where I can claim any sort of… proficiency. And when you've found the person you want to please most in the world… you hate to ask her to be the guinea pig for your initial efforts... in anything."

It was a more direct allusion to what he was anticipating than the tactful fish expected. He cleared his throat, knowing that his friend might not even realize he was thinking out loud, reminding him he was still there as well. "You know… I, uh… I always knew this day would come." It was close enough to being true. Even though he'd had no thought of things happening as they had or of Roxanne becoming the force of such change in Megamind's life, he'd supposed that at some point his friend would find someone to be with, even casually. "And it being my job to look out for your… interests… I thought maybe you'd be interested in this." He held out a book.

Megamind blinked as he finally seemed to rouse from his contemplation. "The Art of Sensual Massage? Minion, where did you get this?" He tossed the book aside onto Minion's sewing cart with a frown, slightly offended that his sidekick thought he – HE! equipped with the best imagination on the planet– might benefit from some sort of manual. "I don't need…" Glancing sideways at it again, he picked it up. "Oh heck." As he stood flipping rapidly through the pages, Minion occupied himself making a few unnecessary adjustments until he heard, "Oooh… I never thought of that before…" Venturing a peep over the leather shoulder curiously, the book was slapped closed and tossed aside before he could see anything. "Well! I'm ready to go." Hopping off the dais, he strode to the invisible car.

_Wow. That was quick._ Reaching for the instructional tome, he heard his name.

"Minion." Megamind had paused, holding open the door of the vehicle before getting in. "Thanks. Again."

It was the look of confidence that had returned to the green eyes as much as the sincerity in his voice that swelled the heart of the little aquatic creature. Whatever he'd done – the clothing or the book or the assurances – it had worked. And that was his job.

"And… don't wait up, eh?"

He grinned. "Have a good time, boss."

"I'm pretty sure I will," Megamind replied lightly, closing the door and driving away.

* * *

><p>The Lizard Lounge was full of people and jumping when they arrived that evening. Typically busy for a Friday night. Holding Roxanne's hand as they walked in and looked around, he asked above the noise, "Have you been here before?"<p>

"No, I don't go out to places like this," she spoke near his ear to avoid having to shout. Her career always kept her hopping, often called out at odd hours, leaving precious little time for much of a social life. And then, there had always been the added complication of constantly being kidnapped. As she leaned closer he caught the scent of her perfume, sweet and subtly smoky. One arm snaked around her waist as he bent his head to hear her better.

"Don't you like this kind of music?"

To Roxanne, the sheer force of the sound seemed to be slamming against her like a heavy ocean swell, pushing into her chest, trying to make her heart keep time with the insistent beat of Rihanna's 'Only Girl In The World'. "I do! It's just… It's so LOUD!"

"Ah!" he nodded. "You have to relax and not fight it. Eventually your body adjusts." On occasion he and Minion insulated the Lair, projecting a sonic barrier around it and turning up their sound system, giving over to the pulsing of their favorite heavy metal ballads as a way of getting away from their cares for a while.

As soon as he said it, she realized that was exactly what she was doing. Even her shoulders were tensed with the effort of resisting. As he helped her off with her jacket, she rolled them, trying to loosen up. "And anyway, I'm already feeling a little… self-conscious about this whole idea. Dancing on stage, I mean." She looked around the room, waiting, but when he didn't answer, she turned to look at him.

He was staring at her, slack-jawed, taking in the dress she'd chosen for the evening. Slowly he answered, "I have absolutely _no_ idea why you would be self-conscious… unless you're entirely unaware of how completely stunning you are."

The look on his face told her she'd chosen well. The champagne-colored fluid jersey material sparkled faintly in the dark, hugging her curves closely from her shoulders down over her thighs. The draping neckline fell to a vee and lay softly across her creamy bosom without revealing too much, but the back was cut lower. A string tie across her shoulder blades kept it from falling down her arms completely and the long dangling ends of the strings seemed to draw the eye down that length of exposed skin. Having gotten an eyeful of her legs on the ride over, he hadn't expected this further revelation from under the copper-colored leather jacket she'd worn as well. It nearly took his breath away. Resisting the urge to skip practice and turn her around and head right back out to the car, he added weakly, "Besides, you're on TV every day."

"Well… not dancing in front of people though," she protested mildly, amused at the stunned look in his eyes.

"Ah!" He nodded. As incongruous as it sounded, it did make sense. There was something about moving so freely for everyone to see. You had to let go of your inhibitions, your pride. He'd never had a problem with that personally. When you knew everyone was against you, going to laugh at you as likely as not, it actually gave you a sort of freedom to do anything. When you'd already hit rock bottom, you couldn't fall any further, so why not act however you wanted?

He hoped he could convince her to relax some of her inhibitions tonight, on the dance floor and off it. Smiling, he said almost too quietly for her to hear, "We'll work on that." He walked forward and then, with a come hither look, turned to pull her by the hand into the crowd already moving en masse, leading the way with some footwork to warm up. Dancing came as naturally as walking to him. The beat pulled and, with a rhythm to follow, he found it easier to move to it than not.

She smiled and laughed a little at his enthusiasm as he coaxed her with his eyes as much as with his hands until she followed along, walking onto the floor with him. The beat was heavy and simple, easy to move to. Unexpectedly, she danced very well when she finally let herself go and, somewhat surprised, he said as much.

"Well, I might have fibbed a little when I said I don't know how. I just don't do it often. Or publicly." She smiled. "Helps to have good music… and a good partner."

_Yes… partner_. He thought of the day when she'd first hugged him and called him her partner, admittedly while thinking he was Bernard. A sense of euphoria came over him. _We're going to be ok_. He pulled her close for a kiss and smiled at her, seeing her answering smile. They'd come a long way, and it seemed they would go a long way yet.

Skin color was partially camouflaged by the darkness and flashing moving lights, but nothing could hide the unique shape of his head. Eyes turned their way, yet instead of gasps and stares, people came up to dance with them and even to offer the reformed convict sincere congratulations and thanks. Donovan was at work behind the scenes, hovering near the DJ. Having seen them arrive, he surreptitiously gave instructions, beside himself with excitement. He had orchestrated everything and everyone in attendance, unbeknownst to the unsuspecting couple. Friends with the club owner, he had made sure the sizeable crowd was composed of select friends and acquaintances who were positively inclined toward the blue baddie. Furthermore he had put them all under strict orders not to interfere or pester in any way. He watched the two, mouthing the lyrics as he danced in place, waiting for his partner to bring him a drink from the bar. He already had the next song lined up as well.

The music changed, and Megamind recognized a beat they could use to practice some of the steps Donovan had showed them for the opening. Taking Roxanne's hand, he indicated to her what he was doing, setting them up side by side to try the footwork that tended to be her downfall.

Immediately nervous, Roxanne froze. _What's with all the Rihanna?_ she wondered, recognizing "We Found Love (In a Hopeless Place)" as the next selection. _It is fitting for us though_. Megamind was dancing the steps beside her as she watched. "I don't think I can do this," she muttered, discouragement seeming to hold her feet to the floor.

"Yes, you can," he encouraged, still moving with ease. "If I can be a hero, you can dance."

"Ha!"

He let her simply observe him for a while, thinking she would take up the steps, but seeing that she remained glued to her place, he finally slowed what he was doing, dancing closely around her, almost near enough to brush against as he held her gaze seriously. The music changed as well, dropping to the back beat as he sidled around behind her and spoke in her ear. "You have to move your feet to dance, Roxanne." He could see in her eyes that she'd succumbed to what amounted to stage fright.

"I can't," she said.

He only smiled and slid his hand down her arm until her fingers were firmly enclosed in his, standing at her side again as the rhythm reemerged, steadily rising to a crescendo. Patiently he broke the steps down. "Step back…" He pulled her off balance slightly to force her to move, to break through her fear with a first step. "Now again quicker…" Finally seeing her follow along, he continued leading her with his voice and his example until she was trying... confidence building, getting it… and finally she was dancing the steps. A giddy joy filled him as he watched her - watched the two of them, in unison and side by side. The 'working together now' portion of Donovan's interpretive dance. Being able to give something back to her, to teach her something, when so far he felt as though he had mostly benefitted from her help in so many ways... he couldn't believe how happy it made him - to give. He whooped and swung her off her feet as the song ended. "Well done!" he told her. "I knew you could do it!" Roxanne laughed and celebrated by giving him a kiss that he returned as the next song began, and they danced on.

Surprisingly no one interrupted to ask for an autograph. A few snapped quick photos with their cell phones. Many moved closer and simply joined them, keeping an admiring eye especially on the slim figure who never seemed to want to stop. They were obviously excited to be out on the floor with a celebrity, especially one who was known to move so well. He was in his element, catching every eye, his body as quick and lithe as a cat's, his enjoyment spilling over and infecting the people around him until he was the center of quite a gathering.

They'd danced for what seemed like ages, together and with others, when at last Roxanne decided she needed to sit one out. Looking around, she spotted her hero holding court at the center of a fascinated throng of people. He'd never looked happier. She slipped between gyrating bodies, out of the crowd and toward the bar as a song ended, leaving him to his fans for the time being. Finally reaching it she requested a glass of water and heard the crowd suddenly give a rousing cheer. _What is going on? s_he wondered, looking back toward the mass of partiers. That was when she recognized the DJ's next selection. "-and I ain't afraid to show it… I'm sexy and I know it." _Oh my gosh_, she chuckled to herself, seeing more people head onto the floor, straining to see the spectacle in the center of it all. _What is he doing in there?_

Not being particularly tall herself, it was impossible to see over the heads, but further cheers and shouts piqued her curiosity until she was just about to climb on top of her barstool to try to get a glimpse. In fact, she had just stood up when a baritone voice at her shoulder asked, "Aren't you Roxanne Ritchie?"


	38. Let's Dance

_Oh, you know how much I love to hear from you all. So like it, love it, or just meh - let me know. :) And thanks for reading._

* * *

><p>Unable to resist playing up to such a welcoming audience, Megamind lost track of time as more people joined in the merriment on the dance floor and egged him on. Eventually, Donovan pushed his way through to the center and danced alongside him too. The party atmosphere grew as people sensed barriers being broken down and their true blue champion proved how personable he could be. It was more fun than he'd ever had, and he actually began to feel a sense of belonging and camaraderie with the diverse, energetic crowd.<p>

Some time passed before he realized Roxanne was absent, separated from him somewhere along the way. Breaking away from the cluster of people he was dancing with, he scanned around, finally spotting her at the bar with a dark-haired stranger, having a drink.

He began walking toward them, smiling as he watched her animatedly talking. Her companion listened intently. He smiled and put his hand over Roxanne's resting on the bar. For a moment Megamind hesitated, his smile fading, until he saw her deliberately pull her hand away to pick up her drink. The man seemed to smirk a little, eyes still fixed on her as she looked aside and sipped from her glass. Then she spotted him, pushing through the last of the crowd in his path, eyes fixed on hers, until he was finally at her side.

"…and here he is!" she said, giving him a wide smile and reaching out to take his arm.

Something in her manner seemed to tell him she needed him near. Placing an arm around her possessively, he turned a steely gaze on the person seated beside her. "Here I am. And who's this?"

The man seemed to shrink a little under the scrutiny of the hard green eyes and the jaw set in a clear challenge, but he gamely stuck out his hand. "Uh, Eric. I'm Eric. Nice to meet you. I'm a big fan!"

"And a fan of mine too," Roxanne added. "Says he always watches my newscasts."

"Is that so?" Megamind asked. "You know… I do too." He smiled coldly. "And I also watch her the rest of the time."

Eric looked like a deer caught in headlights. "I'm sure you do! And that reminds me… I'd better go find my group... Uh! It was nice to meet you both! Thanks for, the, uh, autograph," he added nervously, holding up a bar napkin that Roxanne had signed.

"Bye, Eric!" Roxanne called brightly after him as he hurried away. She looked at Megamind. "Nothing happened. He was just being a pest. Wanted an autograph, bothered me to tell him the 'official' story… wanted to know how much of the tabloid crap was true." She shook her head, "Amazing how well behaved everyone else has been. Oh well. I guess there's one in every crowd."

"Hmm," he answered, studying her face. She had felt threatened in someone's company, and he had not been there for her. He resolved to not let that happen again. "Are you tired of this?"

"No, I'm fine. Just needed a break." She had been enjoying watching him even though she couldn't keep up with his energy. "You've been dancing for hours, did you know?" When he answered in surprise that he hadn't realized it had been that long, she offered, "Do you want a drink?"

"Sure." As Roxanne leaned forward trying to signal the busy bartender, he let his fingertips drift down her bare back. "But what I really want is to dance with you."

"We need more practice for tomorrow anyway," she conceded, looking back at him.

"No," he answered, catching her eye. "Not for practice. I want to dance with you."

As pleased as she had been to see him finally being accepted and having such a good time, she hadn't thought of pulling him away from everyone to have all to herself. But now that he mentioned it… Eric's unwanted attention had only served to remind her of how much she was looking forward to the rest of the evening as well. Holding his gaze, she demurred, "Well, we probably should go over it again, at least for my sake."

"Anything you want." Taking her hand, he led her back out to the dance floor. He wasn't worried about the footwork they'd learned. He just loved the way she moved, her body keeping time to the beat so gracefully. He found it perplexing that she felt self-conscious when she was so very beautiful to watch. _She must be enjoying it though. She's smiling…_ As she spun and then caught his eye again, lips parted in a breathless smile, he was noticing the way her hair got in her eyes and nearly missed catching her as she leapt into his arms as she was supposed to for the finish.

"Oh! Sorry, nearly caught you off guard!"

"No…. that was my fault."

A smattering of applause made them both look around. "I guess they're getting a preview, huh?"

"Won't hurt anything," he answered, still distracted as he set her on the floor again. He appreciated that people didn't seem to care much what they did. Yes, they noticed the lift, but then everyone went back to what they'd been doing. As the end of one song led into the next, Roxanne suddenly brightened, recognizing a favorite. One that she couldn't resist dancing to, at least in the privacy of her own apartment.

"Oh! Good song," she said. "You know… I have to admit, it's always made me think of you," she told him.

He knew the song. It wasn't a recent hit. "And this was _before_ I started visiting your room? Before our first kiss?"

She looked up coyly before admitting, "Possibly…" Eyes fixed on his, her body dipped and swayed more sinuously than before as she started to sing along. _The waves keep on crashing on me for some reason_… The music was so loud, it looked like she was only mouthing the words. Fascinated, he was caught up in the music and her, watching her as they danced together.

_But your love keeps on coming like a thunderbolt_… she sidled closer and watched her fingertips slide down his chest, catching at the fabric where his bolt logo usually was, before looking back up at him, an eyebrow lifting at the aptness of the lyrics. Her touch resonated through him like an electric shock, and he put his hands around her waist as she turned, her back against him, ear at his chin.

_Come here, a little closer_… She swayed side to side, sliding down and back up. Roxanne felt his lips at her ear, and his hands pull her closer against him, matching her movements.

_Cause I wanna see you, baby, real close up_… she turned in his arms to face him again. He could just hear her voice over the music, suddenly aware of the vocalist's heavy breathing in the lyrics too. Roxanne put her arms over his shoulders, and his grip tightened around her waist, then slipped lower.

_You got me feelin' hella good, so let's just keep on dancin_'… the swaying of her hips made his fingers involuntarily rub along her curves. He kept his hands loose, feeling her move under them. The repetitive rhythm was easy to follow, leaving him able to think mostly about her body, the way she was gliding along him, looking deep in his eyes. _You hold me like you should, so I'm gonna keep on dancin'_… Thinking about the last time they'd been together this way, without music… how it had ended although he wanted her so much, Megamind pulled her closer, his own hips connecting with hers until they moved as one. _Even if she can't say the words, I know she loves me._

_The performance deserving a standing ovation_… Roxanne was smiling a little now, lips parted, and he was mesmerized watching her mouth. Feeling her moving, swaying slowly and then faster with the song's rhythm, made his chest tight.

_And who would have thought it'd be the two of us_… One corner of her lips curved upward at the words, and her hand curled around the back of his neck, gently drawing him in until their faces were nearly touching, her fingertips stroking lightly over the sensitive skin at the base of his skull. His hands slipped lower, guiding her firmly along with his movements. His heart felt like it would pound out of his chest, but the rest of him seemed melted against Roxanne.

_So don't wake me if I'm dreamin'_… She closed her eyes and rested her forehead against his. He brushed his nose along hers and stole a kiss, making her answer with one of her own. And suddenly any reservations he'd felt about being intimate with her, about being awkward and unsure, flew away as he realized if they could dance together like this, so easily, everything else would naturally fall in place too.

'_Cause I'm in the mood come on and give it up_… As Roxanne sang the words to him, his arms closed around her. Dragging his lips lightly along hers, he seemed to be answering the request with a promising but teasing kiss. It skimming over her lips, then away again before she could return it. And as her chin lifted toward him, the blue lips touched down on her mouth again. They danced on, completely unaware of the rest of the crowd on the packed dance floor, some of the couples intertwined as closely as they were, disconnected from everything but the music and each other and their thoughts of what they wanted to happen next.

_You got me feelin' hella good, so I'm gonna keep on dancin_'… Roxanne had stopped bothering with the lyrics, watching his mouth instead as they tantalized each other. Sometimes she held back from answering his kiss, coaxing him to try a little more, sometimes closing her eyes as her nose danced along his. She let him drive, guiding every fluid move they made, while she relaxed completely and followed his lead, eyes closed, arms draped around his shoulders. Where her hands stroked over his skin, she left behind trails of fire and ice.

Blessing the darkness that provided camouflage for his burning cheeks and his new, less than skintight outfit that concealed other things better than his bodysuit would, he glanced around, ready to leave and keep his promise to choreograph their movements somewhere more private. Everyone else appeared to be preoccupied with his or her own partner, some dancing in pairs as closely as they were, others dancing in groups of friends, but it seemed wise to make a discreet exit anyway. Roxanne was so caught up in the feeling of being pressed up tight against her incredible blue boyfriend and playing keep away with his mouth that she hadn't realized he had begun to guide them closer to the door, until he whispered in her ear, "Can I take you home now?"

She was sure the desire she felt must be as evident in her eyes as it was in his. "Yes." For a moment she stopped him in his tracks with a pulsing, searching kiss that communicated everything between them as clearly as any words. The song continued on, beating as loud as their two hearts, and she paused long enough to repeat to him in a hoarse whisper, "Please, yes."

He'd been right. Even though he threw her coat over his arm and ushered her as quickly as he could out the door to the car, fans apparently had noticed that they were leaving. Word spread until a small mob followed them outside like guests after a wedding. They hurried to the Hudson, Roxanne jumping right in the driver's side and Megamind quickly getting in after her, closing the door as people crowded up. She watched as with a wave and a grin he flipped the switch to invisibility mode and started it up.

"Well, at least they left us alone long enough to snag a few moments," she commented, looking at the fans reaching out curiously to touch the vehicle that had just disappeared before their eyes.

"Yes, at least." He turned to look at her, cramped between the center console and himself, wishing the car's interior was more conducive to the kind of full body contact they'd just been engaged in._ And what a dance, but I'm ready to share so much more than that_. "As soon as everyone's out of the way, we'll go. I don't want to hit anybody." It sounded like a virtuous thing to say, but the truth was that he didn't want any complications delaying them getting back to her apartment as soon as possible.

"Well, without being able to see anything, they're bound to get bored and give up sooner or later, right?"

"Right. Or... I hope." He glanced out the window again. No one looked like they were going to move away any time soon.

Casually Roxanne asked, "So… What'll we do while we wait?"

The only answer he made was to turn back to her with a burning emerald stare. Roxanne slowly smiled_. _He reached around her, deftly turning and sliding her over to sit across his lap, seeing her lips twitch in appreciation of his slick maneuver. She managed to get one kiss in on his blue lips before he pulled her close, pushing his nose under her chin, letting his lips play down the front of her neck. With a gasping sigh, her arms tightened around his shoulders. "…mmmm… Megs…"

He paused at the lowest point of the neckline on her lovely dress, breathing against the warm skin that rose and fell under his mouth, reminding himself not to rush. _Oh, but I've been there before… and I want to go back again…_ He made himself take his time kissing back up her neck instead, heading for those other parts of her that were so soft and edible. "Roxanne," his breath warm inside her ear made her toes curl. "… I _can not wait_ to get you home…"

His teeth nibbled just below her earring, wishing she would take the sparkly little obstacles off. That rosy earlobe was begging to be sucked on, but he had to content himself with small nips slowly along the edge of it instead. Each one sent almost painful trills through her, making her squirm impatiently. "Dancing with you was just sooo… _stimulating_." He alternated his teeth with some very slow tongue action.

Her breathing sounded louder in his ear as he bit a little harder, and her mind drifted into the very near future. _Ohhh… there's so much more of me for you to use that mouth on!_ Only the presence of the crowd outside, still looking blindly in, held her back from shedding some clothing to offer up other sensitive areas tingling for his consideration. Finally she reached up to remove the studs and placed them in his palm. "Put these in your pocket?"

As he did, she took advantage of his moment of distraction to make her own explorations. The scent of his skin and that same sweet but masculine cologne he'd worn as Bernard mixed with the musky smell of his leather jacket intoxicated her. She wanted to smell the rest of him, let her nose glide along his bare body warmed up by some frenetic activity… and she was certain she was going to get her wish. Humming happily as her nose and lips bumped along at his smooth blue neck while he fumbled to secure her earrings in a pocket he wasn't used to, she thought about how many ways she could try to make those ears turn pinker and smiled to herself. What other reactions he might have to the activities she was considering… what other parts of him might turn shades of fuchsia… or darker blue? Or who knew what. There were so many things about him yet to discover, and she was so very ready to start finding out.

Having secured the little gems, he lost no time in returning to what he'd been doing. Gently brushing her hair aside, he placed his mouth against the porcelain skin of her ear, as soft and warm as a peach in the sun, thinking about when they'd sat in the art museum after he'd put everything back, hoping to surprise and please her. It all seemed so long ago. She had been looking at a painting, but he'd been looking at her, thinking how much more of a masterpiece she was than any work of art there when he'd noticed her ears and first wished he could touch that perfectly smooth shell, frustrated by the barrier of his gloves. There were no gloves in the way tonight, and he wasn't thinking of using his hands anymore anyway.

He drew her earlobe just into his mouth with his tongue and let it slip between his lips, then went after it again, sucking gently before he dragged slowly back, catching it between his teeth ever so slightly as it slipped out again. Roxanne tensed on his lap, a huff of breath escaping her as he did it again before teasing at it with his lower lip, slowly back and forth, his hand travelling up her side, searching for the outline of that swelling curve so well defined by the dress she wore. _Why would anyone rush this? Yes, I could take her down and satisfy myself in such a short time, but… dear lord… the sweetness of all these little things is just…_

Roxanne was just as torn. His efforts were incredible, reducing her to a melted, moaning mess of hormones screaming for release, building up the tension until she felt she'd pop. When she couldn't stand it anymore, she turned her head for a kiss, pressing her mouth against his so hard she was sure her teeth would bruise her lips. Their tongues met and fought but still she wasn't satisfied until his arms were wrapped so tightly around her there was no air left between them or much in her lungs. Finally needing to breathe, she pulled away to look in his eyes again. No predator's gaze could have been more intense than those alien green orbs locked on hers just then. _Oh my, he looks like he wants to eat me_.

"I think we should have gotten in the back," he said.

"I think we still could," she offered, feeling one of his hands exploring down her exposed back.

… _so tempting_. He glanced out the window at the hopeful curiosity seekers still standing there in the dark under the streetlights. "I'm used to performing in front of a crowd, Roxanne, but I think this might be a bit much even for me."

Her trilling laugh vibrated through his chest, making him smile. "Sweetheart! Megs, you always make me laugh..."

"As long as you're amused, I'll happily play the fool." His lips found hers again, determined to enjoy all he could for now until they could finally leave. Her touch gave him chills as he felt her hand slowly trail down his chest, continuing its descent over his torso and down along his tightly muscular thigh. Testing the hard muscles there with a squeeze, she started back up… fingers teasingly drifting past his zipper. _Now I wish I had my other pants,_ he thought.

Slowly she pulled at his shirt, drawing it out of the waistband until she could slip her hand under it, caressing the bare skin around his waist, her fingers making slow passes along the muscles that tensed under her touch. The sound of their heavy breathing and noisy kisses in the quiet car began to make his legs hot, and the jeans he was not used to wearing were beginning to feel unbearably tight in places. _Good thing they hide more than my suit… how do other men deal with their reactions in public?_

He started to trace lazy figure eights at the small of her back, fingertips slowly gliding lower, outlining the heavy curve of her hips accentuated by being pressed onto his. One of her legs lifted higher over the other, as though she was thinking of crossing them or, even better, wanting to wrap it around him, so his hand slipped down to her knee, then to her foot, sliding her shoe off and tossing it over his shoulder... then finding the other and removing it too... gently following back up the length of her leg, slowing as he reached the curve up the back of her thigh, so warm under the silky stockings she wore… feeling her skirt slide back, his fingers found the top of it and played there curiously, slipping under the edge of that stretchy, lacey border... _thigh high, oh yes_... then further up onto the bare even silkier skin above it. He paused to consider her reaction again, withdrawing a little, but then her hand was pressing his, coaxing him to continue. "Don't stop…"

"I don't want to but…" _There's just no way I can continue this with all these people watching._ Even more desperate to leave, he glanced outside again, silently cursing the gawkers as Roxanne slipped her hand back inside his jacket, under his shirt, reaching up higher… her hand skimming over his torso, further up onto his chest. Her fingers waffling over one nipple made him grit his teeth. But when her warm pink lips closed over his ear, and he felt her tongue slide up the fold along the edge there as her fingers slipped more slowly one by one over it again… and hearing her give a desperate little moan…

"Ohhhh _god_!" His legs tightened reflexively, and he hadn't remembered his foot was on the accelerator, ready to go, until the Hudson's engine roared loudly, startling not only them but also the crowd outside who backed away from the powerful vehicle.

"Ah ha! Why didn't I think of that sooner?" He quickly put the car in gear, squealing away from the curb before the throng could press in again.

Roxanne chuckled. "Wow, I guess that's one way to clear a crowd." Still sitting across his lap as he drove with his arms on either side of her, she watched out the front windscreen with him, withdrawing her hand from under his shirt. _Probably not the best time to test how well he can concentrate_, she figured. But she couldn't resist placing a kiss or two along his cheek and saw him smile.

"You can stay right there," he told her. "Um, just be mindful of the ears."

"You mean these?" she murmured, nuzzling the tip of her nose around the nearest one, noticing how very warm it had become and definitely darker pink. She just had to test her teeth on the edge of it and heard him hiss, "Roxa_nne_!" Trying not to laugh, she contented herself with hugging him, her face pressed to his neck. "Sorry… but they're just sooo irresistible." Catching the scent of his skin again, her nose snuffled up it and slowly stole toward the ear again disobediently. "Mmmm…"

He felt himself blushing even harder. "They're just ears."

"Mmm, they're just _your_ ears, Megs," she said, gazing at the nearest one. "The only blue ears on the planet… extremely cute… incredibly tempting." She brushed her lips against the velvety soft skin just a tiny bit as the hand around his neck found the other ear as well, tracing its edge. "I've been looking at these ears for years, you know. Wanting to run my fingers along their pink tips. It's taking a lot of self-control not to mess with them now that I can."

"Years?" Her hushed voice buzzing quietly in his auditory canal made concentrating on anything else very difficult. And the way she talked about pink tips… he swallowed hard. Just how long had she been noticing his ears? That blue powder he used never had been very effective at hiding the hue he always had considered rather embarrassingly revealing, but now he considered that maybe that had been a good thing. "Really?"

She kissed the lobe again and made herself stop only with an effort. "Mm-hmm. And I reserve the right to come back to playing with them… as soon as you're not driving."_ I can't wait to make him rev his engines some more. Oh my gosh, this is going to be fun._

Trying hard to focus on the road, he agreed, "Yes, when I'm _not_ driving would be great. Otherwise we're in serious danger of spending the night in the hospital instead of in your apartment."

She looked out the front windscreen with him, trying to distract herself by watching him driving, faster, zipping in and out of traffic in a most shocking manner. It began to rain as well, lightly, then coming down harder, the wet smell of the pavement filling the car. It mixed with his cologne in some way that made her think of him working on inventions in the Lair or being out at night alone in the dark. "You're wearing the same scent you wore when we were dating," she mentioned without thinking.

Slowly a change seemed to come over him. It was odd how she could feel it through her whole body, up from his legs she was sitting across and through his torso as she leaned against him, still just as close but suddenly feeling that somehow he had pulled away.

"Yes." The wipers' quiet slapping was the only sound in the car as his smile faded.

"Megamind?" The abrupt change in his attitude gave her a chill. She shivered a little at old memories, painful things, as anxiety furrowed her brow. "Megs?"

Finally he seemed to come to a decision and maneuvered to make a turn. "There's somewhere I need to take you. First."

Unsettled by his abrupt change in attitude, she decided to wait silently to see where they were going instead of pressing him with questions.

* * *

><p>The rain appeared to be ending, only a few drops pattering on the roof as the Hudson purred to a stop at a street corner. She glanced around as he put it in park. Where were they? It looked like nothing but a nondescript intersection, dark and nearly empty of traffic at this late hour.<p>

"Do you know where we are?" he asked, searching her face.

When she didn't answer, he tried to speak, then stopped and thought a moment. He opened the car door and, helping her off his lap first, stepped out onto the sidewalk as well, taking both of her hands, gazing at her with a seriousness and intensity she didn't understand. Quietly, he tried to explain again. "It was raining that night too."

Suddenly she knew. A cold street corner in the rain. The scene of his most painful memory regarding her, regarding them... his deepest regret. He couldn't seem to let it go. _But he has the courage to face it. And right now, _she thought, amazed_._ He saw her recognize it at last. "It was raining that night," she agreed softly, and as if on cue a drizzle began to come down again. Megamind seemed not to notice.

His eyes were large and somber, shining in the dark. "I should have…" He stopped and frowned at the ground before looking up at her again. "I did it all wrong that night. So I want a do-over tonight. Before we go on." A pained expression crossed his face, wrinkling the corners of his eyes. "I should have begged you to forgive me. On my knees! I should have told you why… and how… everything." His throat bobbed as still held her gaze and her hands. "I never should have let you leave. Thinking I didn't care if I hurt you. I wish I had put you in the car – by force if necessary – and made you listen. Told you everything. At least _tried_ to take away the hurt…"

She wasn't sure if the wetness on her face was from the rain or tears she could feel welling in her eyes. Her hair began to drip onto her shoulders. "Well… here we are. Tell me now," she said and shivered, gripping his hands tighter. He was totally unaware of the cold rain he was making her stand in, barefoot besides. "But can we sit in the car?"

"Oh! Yes! Yes..." As she turned, he reached past her and pushed closed the driver's side door, pulling open the back door instead. She climbed in, and taking a deep breath, he got in beside her and firmly closed it.

Anyone passing by might have spied the couple sitting in the back of the vintage Hornet, quietly idling. Might have noticed the man's blue face, a slight frown creasing his brow as he talked and gesticulated, or his companion's lovely blue eyes, calmly watching him as she listened carefully. He waved a hand in the air and shrugged his shoulders, looking at her at times and then glancing away. Once gazing down at his knees he sighed and shook his head, then raised his eyes to hers again. Abruptly he stopped, and the two sat regarding each other silently for several moments.

"I'm so sorry, Roxanne. No matter the reasons, I shouldn't have lied to you. Shouldn't have… left a single doubt in your mind about my intentions. Given you any reason to think you couldn't trust me. Or that I was trying to use you." He looked down again for several heartbeats, thinking how odd and sad it was that he had broken her heart as himself, trying his best to win her over, not in the course of playing his role or abducting her repeatedly. He turned to her again. "And… that's all there is." He waited for her reaction. "I hope... you can forgive me… please."

She was staring at him, tears still pricking her eyes as thoughts and memories rushed through her mind. Just as he felt the tug of uncertainty growing into hopelessness, she lurched forward over the front seat, flipped the switch that would hide them completely, just in case anyone should pass by, and sat down again beside him. "I'll forgive you," she offered, "if you promise me we're done with this."

"We'll never talk about it again if that's what you want."

"No," she said, reaching to touch the edge of his jacket. "That's not what I mean. Exactly the opposite. I mean I want to be able to talk about it and even laugh about it. I want to remember what happened without any awkwardness between us and without you feeling guilty every time it comes up. It's part of our history, those days when you were Bernard… and really… I don't want to lose that." They held each other's gaze a moment as her fingers rose to touch the smooth length of his neck. "I do forgive you. I don't want to forget though. I just… don't want to be angry anymore."

He looked at her with a kind of disbelief. Not only to be offered forgiveness, but to be accepted, failings and all? She truly did want him the way he was, even their history the way it was. "Roxanne, you… you're just the most amazing person." He thought once more of the surprise he would finally be able to show her tomorrow and how much she deserved it as he gazed at her adoringly. "… it's no wonder I love you so much."

Leaning forward to meet him in a sweet kiss, she knew. _Yes_, her heart sang out, _this is where I belong. Safe with him. He's the one_. She withdrew from his lips just enough to see them. The moment seemed to stop and stand alone as little details fixed themselves in her mind: her dress sparkling in the dim light next to the black shirt under his leather jacket and the feeling of one strong arm securely around her as the back of his fingers caressed her cheek. Seeing his skin, so blue against her own, his sleek goatee under the curving smile of his lips she had been enjoying so much. The smell of leather and cologne and _him_, her hero. It all impressed itself indelibly on her mind, and she hesitated only a second before she took the last step and softly said, "Megamind… I love you."

He sat so still; she placed a gentle kiss at the edge of his mouth questioningly, hoping she had not made a mistake. His mouth trembled when she kissed him again. His whole body trembled. "You don't know what that means to me." His hushed voice cracked with emotion.

She looked up into his eyes. And she realized. _No one has ever told him that they love him._ Surely not the gruff warden or distant Dr. Morrow, mismatched pseudo-parents who could never really take the place of those two people whose last act of love for him had been the most painful they could choose, to send him away from them in their dying moment. And to a planet that ended up despising him. Even Minion probably wasn't prone to showing more than brotherly expressions of affection. So many loveless years he'd struggled through on his own. "Yes, I do." She wanted to make up for all of them. "I love you, Megs."

_It's taken her so long to trust me this much._ Those words he'd wanted so desperately to hear her say seemed like they ought to be accompanied by thunder or cymbals or fireworks, but instead they alighted on his eardrum like snowflakes and then melted away, leaving behind only a sense of quiet awe. Her blue eyes held his. Her expression sad. She understood what it meant to him. The fact that she didn't bandy the words around lightly told him it meant much to her too, and suddenly he was glad that she had waited until she was really ready. He met her willing lips in a gentle kiss and began to say, "I love you," just as she did as well. They smiled at the accidental timing, kissed again, their words bumping into each other again. "I love you."

It seemed silly, but it was so easy to say now that they'd finally gotten around to it. Why stop? With a huge smile, Megamind pulled her onto his lap, legs astride his, and kissed her again much more enthusiastically as she wrapped her arms around his neck. "I love you…" they murmured against each other's lips and tried to stifle the laughter that seemed to bubble up in both of them for sheer joy. It became a game, a kiss and a simultaneous but still heartfelt declaration, until passion rising up again began to get in the way of their words. He sank lower in his seat, pulling her hips forward to connect with his. She wouldn't stop the pulsing of their lips to say more. _She loves me_ repeated in his mind anyway, although only the rustle of clothing under their roving hands and heavy breathing and mouths frantically meeting could be heard under the engine's soft hum.

Feeling his hands slide lower and follow the movement of her hips begging him silently for release, a low moan rising from his throat, Roxanne deliberately went for an earlobe, sucking it, determined to break down any remaining reluctance he might have. "I know it's not my apartment…" she whispered in his ear. "But you're not going to stop me this time, are you." It was statement and not a question.

_She loves me. _"Are you kidding?… It's way past time this back seat saw some action."


	39. True Confessions

_I'm kind of sad... There's only one chapter left to go. _

_But I'm also so very thankful to you who have been reading and enjoying this story - whether you only just found it or have been following it for just over a year now. (Good lord.) Most especially I'm grateful to those who review, some of you time after time, providing that fuel I often desperately needed to keep going. Thank you so very, very much. I plan to upload the last installment in a couple days (it is written - just needs tweaking), then I have two short scenes to tack on to the end. And about the, ah, *special* chapter which many of you mentioned in reviews recently... I'll publish that outside the main trunk of this story. I'd like to follow my usual M.O. and offer it through docx, but honestly I'm not sure I have the time to field the requests. So I will most likely be publishing it straight to FFn as an M-rated one-shot. Sooner or later. Again… thank you all, from my heart, for reading Filigree._

* * *

><p>A trail of clothing started at the front door with a black leather jacket in a heap on the floor next to a shoe. Its mate was not far away. Roxanne's jacket had been tossed toward the couch but missed and hung askew off of a lamp. From there a range of garments formed a broken line meandering into the bedroom, where the sound of quiet talking was punctuated by a muffled giggle.<p>

"I was always taught that it was only polite to try a bite of everything you were offered," Megamind was contending. "Now. Is it on offer or not?"

Roxanne lay on her stomach, arms folded under her head, hearing the rain still pattering on the window and biting her lip as his fingertips danced along the area in question. Try as she might, she couldn't hold back another giggle bubbling up. "Of course it is, but I'm pretty sure that didn't apply to-"

"Doesn't matter." Bending his head, he opened his mouth wide and mock-bit her skin to one side of the small of her back, hearing her stifled screech as her body squirmed sideways. Smiling to himself, he withdrew but moved down and bit again lower.

"Hey!" she looked back at him.

With a throaty chuckle he muttered, "I already know _that's_ on offer." Hearing her laugh, he asked, "Maybe I should have warned you being with me would come back to bite you in the butt sooner or later."

"You and your biting…" Despite being green, he was far from inhibited or hesitant about trying things, and she'd already learned that he enjoyed using more than just his lips when it came to oral attentions.

"Mmm, doesn't have to be biting… but you might as well know it is my intention to cover every square inch of you… with my mouth… in some way…"

She smiled against her forearms as she felt him begin kissing the places he'd pretended to ravage, pressing his lips into the small of her back with a contented hum, then up slowly, until he reached a spot between her shoulder blades where he rested his cheek and sighed. "So beautiful…"

"You've said that about everything so far," she murmured.

"Because it's true," he said. "Every single part of you."

"It's just my back."

"It's _your_ back, Roxanne…" he leaned down until his lips and voice buzzed against the edge of her ear, making her smile widen. "As you oh so shortly ago pointed out about a certain part of _me_." His tongue grazed the edge of her ear before his lips placed a kiss along it as well. "And it is absolute perfection." Leaving a kiss on her bare back again, he leaned back to admire it, this expanse of loveliness he was now privileged to enjoy.

They lay in bed, skin to skin, legs tangled together under the rumpled sheets. Propping his head on one hand, he watched his fingertips trail over her slowly, lazily, up and down her spine with the barest touch. It was no stretch. He found her body inescapably fascinating. Every feminine curve so irresistibly round and squeezable. Every dip and hollow drew his eyes and eventually his hands… promising to intensify his still inflamed desire for her. He couldn't stop looking and touching and wanting more despite having been satisfied already. _Will it always be like this? Never satiated…_ He loved the way she was put together and thought again of his own wiry, spare frame. Much as he made himself out to be 'incredibly handsome', he knew that he was hardly everybody's idea of masculine perfection. Not like Wayne's larger than life muscle bound form. And yet, Roxanne had made it very clear she found him attractive, exciting… irresistible, even.

"I hope that you're as happy with me as I am with you," he murmured, bending to kiss her shoulder. When she opened her eyes to look at him, the expression on his face assured her he was actually looking for confirmation and not just fishing for a reciprocal compliment. "Am I doing ok?"

"Yes, Megs," Roxanne assured him sincerely. "…I can't even think of why you'd ask." She had been just as enthusiastic in exploring and enjoying him as he was her, both of them spurred on by the need to satisfy the hunger for each other they'd been denying for so long.

"Well..."

_Ok, first times and all._ "Were you worried?"

"A little," he confessed.

"Is that why you said no, that night in your room?" Thinking back to when they had been holed up together in the Lair, she wondered again about the night she'd tried just throwing caution to the wind. "Did I rush you too much?" What might have happened if he hadn't stopped her? What misunderstandings and things left unresolved might have continued to simmer just below the surface? "I didn't mean to make you nervous that night."

"Oh, you didn't. Not really. I mean, I'll admit I was a little nervous. But mostly… when I heard you saying you wanted to thank me… I suddenly didn't want sex for any other reason than love. As simple-minded as that sounds."

"Of course it doesn't, sweetheart. It's the right reason."

With a sigh, he explained, "I wanted you to love me so much. And it took me by surprise to think that you were willing to..." He stopped, suddenly aware that he should be careful of accusing her as he had been about to do. He watched her face to see if she might take offense, but she only turned her head away from him with a deep sigh.

"To have sex with you for any other reason? Yeah. That's not your fault," she told him. "I was kind of soured on the whole idea of sex being about love by somebody else."

The green eyes darted to the side as he steadily continued stroking along her back. _Ok, as much as I'm not really sure I want to hear about her other… relationships… especially tonight…_ But the heaviness in her voice piqued his curiosity and his concern. He had to know.

Her head still resting on her arms, she found herself quietly telling him the whole story, face turned away toward the window that looked out over the lights of the city twinkling in the raindrops running down the glass. _This is something he should know._ "You see, I actually started my career at a newspaper. Just out of college. And while I was an intern there, I was pursued by somebody. Somebody I really looked up to."

She paused, thinking of how unsuspecting she had actually been at the time although she'd felt old and wise taking her first steps into the working world with her diploma in hand, the ink on it practically still wet. At school, she hadn't had time for a lot of serious boyfriends. She was driven to succeed instead, intent on making her career. And naïve as the day was long.

As far as sex went, she'd dated off and on and thoughtlessly lost her virginity and regretted it, but she had moved past that fairly quickly. Her future in journalism was everything to her. "So this guy I worked with… he was one of the big shot reporters at the paper. Took me under his wing." She felt stupid now admitting how it had happened. It seemed so obvious in hindsight. "He seemed so suave and sophisticated, and I was all googly-eyed at having caught the attention of an older, 'mature' man... a savvy, seasoned reporter…" She snorted at the memory of her impressions of him. "I was so green. Anyway, we started seeing each other. First at work, then outside it sometimes."

It had been her first serious relationship. One that had made her actually begin to think about juggling the future besides her career. Marriage and family and settling down. "He was so nice to me. Helped me out. Made me his pet. Wined me and dined me and told me I was special. That I was sure to be a star. Even told me he loved me…" She stopped. "Turns out he was married."

Megamind was listening intently, frowning, not wanting to interrupt the flow of words although he would have liked to comfort her. But he didn't know how, so he remained silent, continuing to stroke her back thoughtfully as she went on.

"People in the office knew." She paused. "They _knew_ but no one said anything because they thought _I _knew I was having an affair." That itself had hurt, that other people had believed she might stoop so low, sleeping with a married man to work her way up. "I thought he was divorced. Eventually I found out. And of course, I wanted him to explain…. It seemed like there had to be some kind of mistake. I just couldn't… take it in. That he would do that." She bit her lip, recalling her shock at the time.

The hand at her back had stopped, lying still and warm on her skin. She wondered what he was thinking of her. _He might as well know_, she thought, _even if he does think less of me for it_.

"So I confronted him, and we had a huge fight. I still wasn't willing to accept that it was happening. I kept trying to make excuses for him, asked if he was planning to leave her. Or something. Anything to make it less wrong somehow." She shook her head. "But as soon as he knew he'd been caught, he didn't bother to hide what he'd done. Not anymore. I tried to convince him that he had to leave his wife. Obviously he wasn't still in love with her if he'd been saying all those things to me! That's when… He looked at me… like he _pitied_ me for being so stupid."

She could still remember the chill that had run all through her at seeing him smirking, all the pretense stripped away. "That was when I finally knew. But like a fool I still couldn't just let it go. I still tried to convince him... Told him I was in love with him… That I wanted to make it work between us." Voice thick with emotion, she stopped to collect herself. When she continued, her words were clipped and brittle. "And he laughed."

Megamind lay beside her, wide-eyed, aghast as the story became more and more painful.

Roxanne repeated almost in a whisper. "I told him I loved him… and he laughed at me."

_Oh…_ _No wonder it took her so long to say it_.

"He told me I was _way_ too naïve. That there was no way he was going to get a divorce. I was just some fun on the side, hadn't I even realized that?" She could still hear him. Could still see him laughing at her like he couldn't believe what a simpleton she was, thinking what they'd had was something real. The timbre of her voice reflected how crushed she'd felt. "After that... I kind of shut down as far as dating and having a social life."

She stopped, but before he could respond, her voice took on a harder edge. "And I was determined _never_ to let anybody take advantage of me like that again… or to trust anyone that much again. I threw myself into my job instead. That's when I moved into television too. And since I had Wayne's attention, it wasn't like I had much chance of dating anymore anyway. There wasn't a single guy in the city willing to step on his turf! Pretty soon everybody just assumed we were together. Guess they figured he was bound to get whatever he wanted, being who he was."

For her new lover, the realization that inadvertently he had done the worst possible thing he could have – gaining her fragile trust and then breaking it in the same way it had been broken before, pretending to be something and someone he was not – was staggering. What a horrific parody of that painful event it must have seemed like to her. It explained so much. Reeling at the implications, his silence was no longer voluntary. He didn't have words to express his regret. "Oh, Roxanne…" The way he stumbled over the words made her turn her head to look at him finally. "…I… then I did…" His huge eyes full of distress held hers. "I'm so sor-"

Roxanne's smile contrasted starkly with the anguished words she'd spoken only a moment before. "No, Megs. Remember? No more feeling guilty. What you did wasn't the same thing at all. And you already apologized."

"I know I did, but I… I didn't know just how bad… I mean, I knew it was bad, but-"

Lifting herself up to lean over and kiss him tenderly, she assured him. "You didn't know. That's exactly right. What your intentions were makes all the difference. And you were sorry afterward. He never was."

"Who was it?" His self-torment suddenly morphed into anger toward this unknown person who had dared to abuse her so badly. Roxanne laughed lightly and rested her chin on her folded arms again, effectively clamming up.

He watched her, half in disbelief that she was going to refuse to tell him. Obviously she didn't think it wise, and part of him agreed. He'd rarely had such truly murderous thoughts as he had right now. Although recent events had brought him about as close as anything. "It sounds like something that asshole Tom Raines would do. He's about that low. And-" He stopped. Roxanne had gone very still, her profile blank. His mouth dropped open and the hand under his head fell to the bed. "Oh god." He stared. "Don't tell me it was Tom Raines."

"Ok," she answered, carefully neutral. "I won't tell you."

Gently he took hold of her shoulder, waiting until she finally turned to look at him again. The shock must have been obvious on his face, the way she looked back at him, half afraid. "Roxanne…" he whispered sadly. They looked at each other silently for several moments, hardly breathing. As it sank in, he nodded and stated, "You realize I'm going to have to kill him now."

For Roxanne the uncomfortable tension was broken by that matter-of-fact declaration. She gave a breathy laugh. "Megamind-"

"Ohhh no," he answered back, his voice strong and determined. "This time I mean it. _This_ warrants it. Like everything else he's already done hasn't?" he asked himself. Anger made his voice rise. "This _added to_ everything else practically _demands_ that I go out right now… and _kill_ him. With my bare hands." His face was dark. "Painfully."

His mind was already turning over possibilities, calculating jail time, but Roxanne turned on her side, threading one arm between him and the sheet and the other around his torso, pulling him closer. "You know what? The best revenge I ever got was becoming the best journalist I could be. The top reporter in the city. And seeing him turn into nothing but a smut jockey."

How could she be so calm? _She's thrown herself into her work heart and soul for the past few years at least partly because of this._ It was no wonder she had been upset at the zoo when he suggested that she not do her job to the very best of her ability. It would have been robbing her of her vindication.

"He'll never be more than what he is right now, because he doesn't have the guts to face the truth – that he's a spineless, lying, two-faced user. And he won't believe the change you've made in your life is sincere because _he_ has _never_ been sincere," she stressed. "And then seeing us together? I think he couldn't believe you actually cared for me, because he's never cared for anybody but himself. He figures we just have to be in some sort of nasty, shady business. Because that's how _he_ works."

So he'd wanted to ruin her reputation in revenge for the success that must goad him daily. He resolved to never again ask her to be less than she could be. _I am going to support her career by every means possible._ "You said he was working at a major newspaper. How did he end up at the Flash?"

"The truth found him out, just like it always does. Not just about him and me though. Somebody that's that unethical in their personal life? You know they're bound to be making bad decisions elsewhere too. And he was. He got fired."

"For what?"

Roxanne smiled. "Believe it or not, because of Wayne. See, at the same time I was getting screwed over by Tom, I'd caught Metro Man's eye. Tom didn't like that. Oh, not because he was jealous of any romantic interest Wayne had in me. He just couldn't stand seeing the star turn to the newbie, handing over the headline story that Tom was sure he himself should have by rights. He was the paper's lead reporter after all, just taking the lowly intern along on his assignments. Of course Wayne didn't care who reported what. He was just trying to get my attention to get what he wanted. So Tom started digging into his background. And you know what that means."

"Oh my, yes. The untouchable Scott family. Didn't he know that even angels fear to tread there?"

Roxanne chuckled. "He knew. But that's what jealousy does to him. Makes him blind to really bad decisions. And now he's doing the same thing taking you on."

"I would imagine he couldn't stand seeing you with me either."

"Yeah. He really is divorced now, no surprise. I heard he was actually pretty broken up about that. Guess he cared for somebody once. Or maybe it just hurt his pride too much that that poor woman finally escaped his twisted lies." She sighed. "And then to see me, actually happy as well as having the headline of the century? He had to go digging again. And if he couldn't find anything, he'd make it up." She placed her hand on his bare blue chest as they lay side by side talking quietly, relaxed again. "So anyway, he lost his job. And his wife. And his reputation. And I guess those seedy tabloids are the graveyard of reporters with ruined careers."

"I have yet another thing to thank Wayne for. Unbelievable."

"Don't you dare thank him," she protested indignantly. "He's done more than enough to _you_ in his own way."

Megamind was still thinking about Tom's decisions, wondering over his motives. How could anyone be so vile? And then he'd watched her nearly die and just stood there taking pictures. "He didn't even bother to treat you... like a person!"

"No, he didn't. In comparison, you 'the villain' in all your kidnappings and schemes still treated me far better than he ever did. I guess that's why I wasn't afraid of you. To him I was a thing to be used to get what he wanted. And to boost his ego. Just a toy to amuse himself with."

"So he got off twisting a knife in your heart? If that's what gave him satisfaction, I guess seeing you become successful, and move on… That must have irked him beyond reason. To see you happy." Seeing her nod, he felt sick that any man might find gratification in hurting a woman who had trusted him so intimately. _How truly evil._ He looked into Roxanne's blue eyes regarding him with calm affection and kissed her softly. "How could he do that?" Brushing the hair from her face. _He had to have been blind not to see how kind and brave, determined… how incredible she is_. "How could he have been so close to you and not have loved you?"

She smiled and snuggled into him, nuzzling her head between his shoulder and his chin. "Megs. He's not you. That's all I can say."

Only the most hardened of hearts could have chosen to be so cruel. And to someone like her. "I love you so much. I just can't..."

"I know, sweetheart. I love you too." She looked up and brushed her lips against the edge of his mouth. "And that's all that matters to me now. Tom is nothing but a sad, sorry excuse of a man. That's a closed chapter of my life, not worth any more of my time. I've let what he did affect the way I think and act for _way_ too long. Making me afraid to get close to anyone. Making me think I had to be dead inside to be strong."

He hugged her tightly, and she smiled again, reaching up to trace a finger along the stripe of black on his chin. "You brought me back to life though. Much as I tried to resist you… you got inside and wore me down in the end. Changed my whole world."

"You did at least that much for me, Roxanne."

She withdrew enough to smile into his eyes again. "Well, I refuse to waste any more of my time or energy on _him…_ when I can spend it all on _you_."

For once he was distracted as they kissed and soon paused to ask, "So, you're not going to let me punish him?"

"Well… I could hardly presume to tell Metrocity's new defender how to do his job. Dealing out justice."

He grinned. "_That's_ what I'm talking about!" A mildly evil laugh escaped him as his brain immediately began to formulate a plan. He closed his eyes. "I can't _wait_ to see the look on his face… Oh. I should probably…" He glanced at her quickly, wondering if he ought to admit what was happening with the photographs.

"Ok, what is it?" she asked.

"What?" He tried to appear innocent.

Roxanne laughed. "Megamind, I can read you like a book. What are you up to?"

Resigned to his transparency, he began to explain about the visit he'd made to the Flash, how he'd left the camera card intact and waited to see what the scummy reporter would do.

"That bastard," she commented without much heat. "I'm hardly surprised though. So now what? How do we get the photos back before they get published?"

"Oh, I already have them."

"You do?"

"Minion and I intercepted O-wen, left him with a sizeable headache and borrowed his face. Then I was the one who met with Tom, just before our date. He doesn't know it, but he put that card right back in my hand himself."

"Ha! That's great," she congratulated him.

"And now…" He stopped and tried to think of how he could convince her to let him play with his victim, at least a little. "You _have_ to let me do something to him."

"Ok," Roxanne agreed unexpectedly. "But only if I get to help."

He blinked in surprise. "Really?"

She grinned. "You didn't think I was going to let you have that much the fun all by yourself, did you?"

Another laugh escaped as he rolled onto his back, pulling her on top of him. "Ohoho! I know _exactly_ what we can do!" After she'd kissed him thoroughly, he said with a happy sigh, "You are _won_derful..."

"Not half as wonderful as you." Her hands caressed the sides of his head as she continued to kiss him, sending waves of anticipation surging through his body.

He wrapped his arms around her tighter and argued, "Oh, yes. Far more wonderful."

"No…"

"Yes, you are. And if you insist on arguing with me... I think we'll have to settle this with a wrestling match."

Roxanne's eyes twinkled. "Bring it on, hero," she told him. "Prepare for defeat! You're going _down."_

"Been there, done that," he answered smugly. "But… if you insist…" He swiftly rolled her onto her back and smirked, "I don't mind going down again."

Her laughter was stolen away by the kind of kiss and movement of his hands that he knew would just as effectively steal her will to fight back. And he was right. Roxanne quickly decided she'd let him win. Just this once.

* * *

><p>Coming back into the dark room, still wrapped in a towel, she expected to see him out like a light. It was getting to be very late after all and making love was tiring enough when you had had enough sleep, which he hadn't. But there he was, stretched out on his side like some kind of Greek sculpture in blue marble, patiently waiting for her. She'd thought that after a hot shower he would have succumbed to exhaustion while waiting for her to finish hers as well. And yet, here he was, nothing on but a smile and some sort of black and white card covering his dignity. It appeared to be tied on with familiar red string. She stopped in her tracks just inside the doorway, surprised.<p>

"Still up, lover boy?"

A throaty chuckle greeted her double entendre. "I have something you want," he purred in a sultry tone, pointing toward his nether regions.

She raised an eyebrow at him and let her eyes drift over his bare torso to the well-placed placard with its thin red bow. "Again?"

Grinning, he explained. "After our talk at the Lair, when you were comparing me to my idea cloud, I got to thinking about it. About how, if it really represented me, there would so much more of you in it. Then I remembered something that did belong to you. Something with your name definitively on it. But since it's yours, and you did tell me you wanted it back…" He watched her move closer. "I meant to give it to you earlier this evening, but um… I got distracted."

She finally recognized the black rectangle. "My card!" The credit card sized Frequent Kidnapping Card was framed by a larger sheet of paper, the red string that had suspended it from the ceiling of the Lair still attached. "You've had it all this time? Or did you make a new one?"

"It's the same one. The morning I brought you back here after you tried to redeem it for a look at my gun, I slipped it out of your pocket and kept it, hung it up in the cloud. A memento of having kissed you. For the first time. I thought it was the last time."

She smiled. "I thought so too. And I wanted it for the same reason."

"I'm glad to know that. You were so upset with me... I didn't think you'd miss it. Probably would rather forget what happened. So, when you said you'd like to have it back again..." He paused. "I could hardly let myself dare to think it was because you actually wanted that memory. I knew it couldn't be in order to keep using it."

"Well… actually," she answered. "I like the idea so much… but I suppose it isn't likely we'll be engaging in a lot of kidnapping anymore," she pouted. Then brightening, she suggested, "Maybe it could become the Frequent Kissing Card now."

"We'd have it full in no time," he protested mildly, pleased to hear his favorite customer had actually liked his idea after all. "Daily. Possibly hourly."

She smiled. "Ok, then... how about a Frequent _Coitus_ Card?" she asked in a saucy tone.

Megamind didn't miss a beat. "Same problem."

Roxanne laughed, trying to rally with another possible meaning for the acronym. At least something to fit the hard C sound of that middle letter. "Frequent... Cuddling? Canoodling? Kama Sutra?"

"Hmm, I like that!" he admitted. "But let's just keep it the Frequent Kidnapping Card. And any time you need me to take you away from everything, all you have to do is show it to me, and you shall be promptly kidnapped."

_He's right. Our lives are probably about to get totally crazy and completely overwhelming. And fast._ Roxanne leaned over and kissed him gently, letting her lips slowly massage his. "You are _so_ thoughtful. I love the way you take care of me, Megs." She was looking forward to using it. Often. "One question though... how am I ever going to convince you to release me again after one of these kidnappings? I'll be completely at your mercy... with no one to save me..." Eyes wide in pretended innocence, she put one fingertip to her lips, letting him see her teeth biting the end of it before she pulled it away again, dragging it over her lower lip.

The corners of his mouth curled upward in a thin-lipped smile as he watched that finger drift down the front of her terrycloth-covered curves. "Well..." he answered, eyes following it slowly down. "I'm sure we can work out some sort of... agreement." One hand reached up into her damp hair, coaxing her close enough to kiss again. "So, are you going to claim your card or what?" he murmured, green eyes heavy with desire looking up into hers.

_Completely insatiable… _Roxanne smirked back at him as she straightened and began unwrapping the towel from around herself. Untucking the corner, she let it slide off her body, slowly revealing a little at a time as he breathlessly watched... and then she reached down to slowly wind the end of the red string around one finger... and pulled.

* * *

><p><em>Super secret, super hero, super…. Oh, not this dream again…<em> He dragged himself up from the depths of sleep, becoming aware of her head tucked under his ear again and the gentle sound of her slow, steady breathing. Feeling of the weight of her arm thrown across his chest, one blue hand traveled down from her shoulder, past her elbow to her wrist and back again. Finally he peeked from between his eyelids to see bright light shining through the crack between the drawn curtains. He knew without conscious effort that the day was going to be bright and sunny. A perfect summer day. His arms automatically tightened around Roxanne as his eyes closed again. He heard her sigh in her sleep and smiled. It was certainly starting out perfectly. All except for that annoying dream…

_But this is the way to wake up… my angel in my arms_. Roxanne seemed to think so too, her nose at his throat moving up along his skin as she barely surfaced herself, rising from slumber into wakefulness. Breathing in the scent of his warmth, one leg glided smoothly over his as she shifted closer, her hand wrapping around his ribs to hold him more securely. He thought of having watched her sleeping alone in her bed, jealous of her pillow. Still languid with sleep, he pursed his lips against her head and ran his fingers slowly through her hair, smiling to himself at the echoes of their lovemaking that filled his mind and flooded him with warmth. The things she'd whispered to him and…

Tom Raines. That memory jolted him fully awake. His eyes opened. He wrapped his arms her more securely, protectively, hearing a creaky hum answer as she nuzzled deeper into his neck. Thinking of her carrying around such a deep wound…. A sharp, unfamiliar ache cut through his drowsy satisfaction. _Hurting for someone you love so much is almost more painful than being hurt yourself, _he realized_. But he's never going to hurt her again. I'll make sure of that._

"…'wake already?" she mumbled from under his chin.

"Yes... I had that strange dream again," he answered quietly.

"What dream?"

"The one with the white super suit. And Wayne's cape."

"Hmmm…" _That's funny._ Sleepily Roxanne smiled as she thought about the white cape they were going to surprise him with at the… Suddenly she tensed. "What time is it?" she asked sharply.

"Umm-" He was looking for the clock when she rose up from his chest and stared straight at it.

"It's nine o'clock! Oh my gosh, I forgot to set the alarm. We're supposed to be there in half an hour!" Leaping from the bed, knocking aside her pillow and disarranging the covers, her sudden departure and the loss of her warmth left him groaning at the abrupt interruption of the their pleasant reverie.

"They'll wait for us," he reasoned. "And it won't take long to get there."

Pausing in the doorway to spin around, she protested, "Hey! I'll have to change _there_… somewhere. Donovan hasn't even given me my dress back yet." She pointed at her head. "And unlike some people, I have to have time to do my hair!"

He blinked back at her, startled at her sudden change of mood.

Struck by the sight of him, wide-eyed and bare-chested, innocently lying in her bed, she kicked herself. She didn't want to rush off any more than he did, but…. O_h, what the hell. Not like they're going to start without us_. Crossing the few steps back to the bed, she half-crawled over him and gave him a kiss as he gazed up at her adoringly. "Sorry. The least I could have said was good morning."

"It is a good morning…" Putting his hands around her waist, he tried to draw her down closer as they kissed again, feeling the tension in her muscles as she resisted. "A very good morning..."

"After a very nice night… Mmm, I wish we didn't have to leave," she murmured, still being kissed and hesitating to pull away completely but not letting herself be pulled down either. Her anxiety about the time getting away from them was tempered by the tenderness of his lips against hers.

"I do too… Do you think they'd notice if we didn't show up until later?"

She chuckled. "Hmmm. Yeah, I think so."

"Drat." With a quick sideways movement, he managed to bring her down to the bed and under himself. "Roxanne… last night… was wonderful."

"It was," she agreed, no longer wanting to rush away. He was still feeling the afterglow of it all, and he only wanted to end it right. "It was perfect."

He leaned down and kissed her, taking his time as she wrapped her arms around him tightly, enjoying it without any reservations. "I love you…" His blue nose bumped hers.

"I love you, Megs."

He smiled down at her and sighed, then sat back, pulled her up and kissed her quickly again. "Ok, go do… whatever it is you do to your hair." One long hand waved in the general direction of the bathroom.

Grinning, she got off the bed and made her way to the door for the second time, hearing him mention, "There _are_ some advantages to not having any."

"Oh heck, yeah," she answered back.

He looked after her and called, "It's never bothered you at all that I'm bald, has it?"

"Nope!"

Smiling, he shook his head and grabbed for the first article of his own clothing he could see.

* * *

><p>Standing behind the brick wall, he felt slightly guilty for having left Roxanne so little time to prepare. They both knew what to do, but she was far more nervous than he was. When they'd arrived at the back of the massive double-winged museum, Minion was already there standing beside a visibly agitated Donovan. Preparing to climb into the battle droid, he'd paused at seeing the Hudson pull up and watched the pair get out.<p>

"Come on! Come on!" the event planner urged the fish at the same time as he hurried over to intercept Roxanne, dragging her away at a trot before she could even wish Megamind luck. They could hear the mayor giving one of his long-winded speeches, buying time, interrupted by occasional cheers from the crowd.

Minion grinned widely as he caught his boss's eye, seeing a double thumbs up alongside a very smug face. He took his place at the controls and closed the hatch then watched Megamind walk calmly forward to slip between the curtains and take up his position behind the brick wall. _It's all just as it should be. Finally. This is what we really came here for._ A little salt blur dissipated into the water of his dome as the happy fish sniffed and lifted the oversized boom box carefully above his head. _After banging his head against the walls for so many years… he – no… _we… we_ finally made it_. He glanced above himself toward the copper globe held aloft on the hand of the soaring statue and smiled. _We made it._

* * *

><p>Roxanne's cheeks hurt. It felt like she'd been smiling for days. She stood where Megamind had set her down, looking out over the masses, his arm still around her waist. The people cheered on madly as he waved. The chanting and overall exuberance of the crowd had taken them both by surprise. It seemed Dr. Morrow had been right yet again. The public appeared to be firmly on his side. Maybe like her, they had come to no longer quite believe in the stagey exhibitions of e-vil after so many years of menacing that lacked bite. Still, it made for a good show, and it had been fun joining in the entertainment when they knew there was really nothing to be afraid of, the whole city feeling united against such a willing villain. But then when truly threatened by someone with such awesome but frighteningly evil power, seeing their underdog rise up to risk his life and pull off a miraculous last-minute victory had been more impressive than all of Metro Man's effortless wins, and rightly so. And it had turned the tide of public opinion definitively.<p>

Roxanne looked back at the façade of the buildings. The gold letters that had originally proclaimed it the 'Metro Man Museum' were gone, the refurbished facility having been renamed the 'Metro City Museum of Heroes'. She looked over at her hero. _Maybe they haven't bought into Tom's twisted stories either_. Journalists and reporters had a bad habit of considering the public gullible, their ideas and opinions infinitely malleable. The crowd seemed to be challenging that assumption.

As her confidence in the idea that their relationship might actually find acceptance grew, she began to feel an almost unbearable desire to show everybody just how much she adored this funny blue man with his big green eyes and black goatee, smiling as he continued to proudly wave. Like many people who fall deeply in love, she wanted to make their relationship public, shout it out loud, celebrate it with everyone.

They heard the mayor issuing the general invitation to enter the new museum as Megamind turned to find her staring at him. The crowd began to mount the steps, heading their way, and she knew her face was glowing with all the happiness in her heart judging by the answering look on his. She was just leaning in for a very public kiss when a holographic image suddenly appeared at the top of the steps only a few paces away from them.

The crowd halted as one, startled by the familiar figure looming larger than life in shimmering 3D. A buzz of uncertain murmuring grew and spread through the assembly as people glanced toward Megamind and Roxanne, but the couple was staring as well, as surprised as they were. A few mistakenly thought it must be some tribute to the fallen hero and began weakly clapping. Chin up, chest out, hands on his hips, Metro Man stood just in front of the giant battle droid in his signature outfit, exactly as they remembered him, perfect hair and all. The perplexed mayor glanced over at Megamind who shrugged back, his eyes wide.

"Do you know anything about this?" he asked Roxanne from the corner of his mouth.

"Well… yes, but…" She'd nearly forgotten about her ultimatum that Wayne somehow figure out a way to clear Megamind's name. "I had no idea he was going to do it _here_. That is, if he's about to do what I think he's going to do."

Megamind glanced at her questioningly, but the static image startled them further by coming to life, addressing the shocked assembly. "Citizens… my friends… I send this message to you today… first of all, to congratulate your new hero as he takes up the mantle of 'Defender of Metro City'!" He announced the title grandly, as though he himself still held it, his wide chest expanding even further. Then he appeared to slowly deflate, his shoulders slumping as he sobered, even managing to look rather abashed. "And secondly, to explain to you all… why I'm not really dead."

* * *

><p><em>If you could do me a favor... go look up my friend SapphireGirl93's story, <span>Dangerous Secret<span>.__ She keeps having problems with her updates and is lacking readership for what is a really good story. Give it a look and give her a nice review, eh? There's a good poppet. ;) TA!_


	40. My Hero

"You see…" The image of the former champion shimmered as it began to pace across the stage. "Even the greatest _heroes…_ have weakness. Even the strongest man in the world… his time will come. And for me… well. I could see that my time was coming," Wayne explained, his voice rising and falling with the same inflections and showmanship he had always used at public functions.

_Figures. _Roxanne thought. _He's going to pour on the drama_.

"I have had the advantage from birth to have the appearance of one of you, have lived _here_ as one of you… was fortunate enough to find a home and family… and yet I am, like Megamind, an alien being… from another world. This is not my home. And although I have existed here successfully for so many happy years… not long ago... I had a shock. A reminder that my people were never meant for this world…" He paused for effect before admitting in a grave voice, "I began to notice my powers weakening. Eroding away in the presence of a certain element of this planet that has come into more common usage since my childhood."

A hushed murmuring rose from the crowd. Many looked around, wondering what the mysterious element might be. Megamind quietly snorted. "Well, it's not copper..."

"Yes. I knew that soon it would become apparent to you all… and most importantly, to my nemesis. And I couldn't _bear_ the thought of leaving the city I love… leaving all of you, _undefended_…" Wayne's eyes narrowed as he gazed into the distance, apparently contemplating that insufferable possibility.

_Yeah right._ Roxanne folded her arms.

"That's when I knew… There was only one way to overcome his heinous designs. I had to defeat him… once and for all… by making him a _hero_."

More gasps and rumblings erupted from those assembled. Roxanne palmed her face while Megamind muttered, "Oh, I can't _wait_ to hear this."

"You see, my friends… in all the years I've grappled with my foe, I've had the chance to observe him closely. I've come to know him well, and I came to realize a startling truth. This mad blue genius had inside of him…. intelligence. Determination. Strength! Not physical strength, but _willpower_!"

Roxanne rolled her eyes.

"Finally it struck me. These were the raw materials of _heroism_! Oh, what he could _be_!" He clenched his fist then relaxed it and shrugged his massive shoulders. "Oh, what he could be… if only he were given the chance."

Thinking of the chances Wayne himself had stolen, Roxanne opened her mouth ready to let loose a snappy protest, held back only by the restraining gloved hand on her arm.

"But he wasn't given a chance," the holographic Wayne stopped in his tracks, looking out over the crowd. "Looking the way he does… so _different_ than you and I, he was a target for our suspicions from the moment he arrived on the planet. My friends, we must admit… we never gave him much of a chance. You all know as well as I do that from the beginning he was maligned. Suspected. Villified. We _expected_ him to be bad… and he delivered just what we expected. _We_ _made_ him a villain. We are _all _guilty!" Lifting his chin, he looked around the crowd accusingly. Many people shifted uncomfortably where they stood. A few even ducked their heads.

"Some of us more than others, Metro Brat," Roxanne ground out through clenched teeth, her fingers gripping her arms.

Megamind smiled at her. "Shh, this is getting good."

"Huh!" Roxanne huffed back as Wayne went on.

"Now…. now, don't be too hard on yourselves. Why? Because beginning _today_... we have a rare opportunity. A chance to redeem our mistake." The big man sighed. "I should have done it long ago, my friends. But the powers of the universe… the forces that wisely rule time and fate... guide us to the critical moment, the ripening of the age…"

Megamind made a mild gagging sound. "That's just taking it a little too far, even for him."

From the middle of the plaza, the real Wayne watched, hiding under his hat while the people behind him strained to see, smugly pleased with his performance and unconsciously mouthing the script he had memorized.

The image looking out over the crowd from the top of the steps nodded sagely, as though the secrets of the universe had been revealed to him alone. "Finally it was that time. The opportunity... ripe." Straightening, he took a deep breath and announced, "_I_ created Titan. _I_ gave him my power." The crowd gasped. "Trans_fering _it to him and then painfully but with solemn hope taking my leave of you… in order to bring about the rise of a new hero and the ultimate defeat of a villain… who was never truly a villain at all…. Megamind."

The crowd applauded as a buzz of uncertainty arose as well.

"I hope you will forgive me. It was not an easy decision… but I did it for you. For _us_. And for him. And he has not disappointed me. Having risen above his former miserable habits, just as I believed he would, I give him back to you today, my friends... as your Defender. A new man! Believe in him. Uphold him from this day forth…_ And hold him in your hearts as you once held me_." Eyes narrowing, Wayne paused with the back of his knuckles to his mouth, seeming to be fighting back tears.

"Bra-_vo_…" Megamind muttered. "What a performance." Roxanne stood beside him, lips pressed together. The crowd stared in fascination. A sprinkling of women, former devotees, wiped away tears.

"And now… I take my leave of you, citizens of Metro City. Leaving you in _his_ _capable_ hands. I must live now as I have not before. Beginning a new life, a new adventure of my own. Discovering new talents and abilities, yet untapped. When you see me next, I hope you will accept me," Metro Man humbly requested. "No longer as your hero… but as _one of you_." With those echoing words, the hologram disappeared, leaving them all staring at nothing.

Slowly the crowd noise began to swell again as Roxanne muttered, "What a… a jerk! I'll kill him!"

Megamind smirked. "Don't bother. I've tried." As she shook her head in annoyance, he laughed as well. "Never mind, my love."

"Never _mind_? I told him to make sure the authorities knew he wasn't dead so you weren't going to be prosecuted! Not to… do _this_!" She waved an impatient hand toward the place where the high tech apparition had appeared.

"Oh, I think he's done pretty well actually, despite the lies." She looked at him skeptically as he explained. "Not only has he lifted that nasty murder charge from my shoulders, but he's taken responsibility for Hal's wanton destructiveness, effectively expunging that black mark from my record as well, at least in the public's eyes."

"Well, and he also seems to not have been able to resist stealing your thunder – _today_! on _your_ day - and taking credit for everything too! He's still making himself out to be the hero! After what he did!" Thinking about the little red schoolhouse furrowed her smooth brow even more.

"Maybe so. But I think I can let it slide. What impressed me most was how he drew the crowd into accepting responsibility for making my life what it's been."

"Well, that much was warranted," Roxanne conceded reluctantly. Now they would be even more readily willing to view him in a positive light, if for no other reason than to make up for the communal guilt they had all bought into. _Pretty clever, Wayne, although you barely bothered to include yourself_. "Fine. You let him off the hook." She stood with her arms still folded, scowling irritably. "I'm not going to. He is going to hear from me about this."

Smiling, he put an arm around her shoulders. "I know better than to try to stop you. So go ahead and be mad."

"You're really not upset, are you?"

"No," he chuckled. "Why should I be? Look at what I have." He gestured at all the people streaming into the building. "The city now believes it owes me! I have my best friend… even though I'm fairly certain that tiny aquatic traitor helped Wayne set this whole thing up." He was familiar enough with the technology to suspect the image had been projected onto the stage from the massive battle suit itself. Casting their eyes up to the top of the giant droid, they saw his sidekick peering down at them, trying to assess his boss's reaction before he ventured to leave the relative safety of his high perch. "And… I have you."

Roxanne's gaze returned to his face as she felt his arm tighten around her. _Yes, after everything. Thanks to a goofy idea for a card he had and a misguided idea about his gun that I had._ His blissful smile soothed her irritation_. _"I was surprised you didn't put the de-gun on the statue. It's your favorite weapon after all. Practically part of you." She thought that the smooth stone figure standing over them seemed a little bare without the holster at its hip.

"No, I wanted the statue to represent what has really made me the hero I am today… and I know that it wasn't the de-gun or any of my gadgets or inventions. As brilliant as they are," he couldn't resist adding. Then he pointed to the globe resting on top of the concrete figure's hand. "In the end, I'm a hero because of the people who believed in me. Like Minion." He looked down at her again. "And you."

With a smile, she reminded him, "You made those decisions yourself."

"Because you showed me that I had the strength to."

She had noticed his loyal sidekick recreated in copper and enshrined in the open metal sphere flying high overhead, proclaiming the infinite value of friendship and loyalty. It touched her heart that he wanted everyone to see in what high regard, the highest, he held his best friend. "So, am I hidden on that statue somewhere too?" she teased.

Eyes sparkling, he looked at her for a moment longer. "Come inside. There's something I want to show you."

* * *

><p>The reopened facility was so packed with people gawking at the new and improved displays they could hardly get in the door. They had entered the wing formerly dedicated to Megamind, incredibly-handsome-criminal-genius-and master-of-all-villainy, opposite the wing for Metro Man Defender of Metro City on the other side. Previously comprised of only a few pieces of foiled machinery authorities had been able to collect before brainbots swooped in to reclaim them after the pair's frequent skirmishes, its limited exhibits had been full of guesswork and misinformation about the evil blue mastermind alongside scant bits of information on other minor foes of the city, members of the mysterious and shadowy Doom Syndicate.<p>

Having corrected everything and donated more from his private collection, Megamind had also decided to include a brief but factual history of his life starting on the ground floor of the wing with a tribute to his lost home. The first thing Roxanne saw when they walked in was a giant model of that perished planetary system that had included his watery blue world and Wayne's as well. Placards explained the demise of his planet, his journey to Earth, his unfortunate beginnings in the place he was forced to call home.

The history continued up each floor chronologically through his years of growing up and villainy, ending at the top of the wing with a visual review of his battle to save the city from Titan. Roxanne walked along with him, finding it difficult to get a good look at anything with so many bodies in the place, all milling about and jockeying for position, stopping to talk and enjoy the free food and drinks being passed around as well. They were stopped as soon as they set foot in the door and frequently after that too by old fans and new, all wanting to shake the hand of the blue alien they had once feared.

"Ok, now we can go on," he kept saying to her as soon he was able to disentangle himself, a hand at her back to try to steer her through the crowd, only to be interrupted again. He had envisioned ushering her through the museum personally, taking her on a tour to explain how he'd rearranged the space, but they didn't seem to be able to make any headway.

He hadn't foreseen how large and persistent and _friendly_ the crowd would be. And as gratifying as all the attention was, he wasn't accustomed to such familiarity and found himself feeling rather uncomfortable. Slightly claustrophobic. Rubbing elbows and bumping into everyone, having to be _nice_ to each and every stranger who hailed him, nowhere to get away… He pulled at his collar impatiently and cleared his throat as a lady in a garish printed dress proclaimed loudly that she had known all along that he wasn't really bad, not really, and she remembered feeling so sorry for him when she'd read the articles in the paper about him living in the prison as a little boy. "Yes, yes... thank you," he muttered, glancing around for Roxanne who had gotten ahead of him somehow. She'd managed to make it over to a life-sized mock up of the pod he'd rocketed to Earth in, so he slowly eased away from the woman who continued nattered away, nodding as though he was still interested.

Not least disturbing of all was that all this attention was frustrating his attempt to guide Roxanne to the most important part of the museum: the surprise he had in store for her. They had only gotten as far the Toddler Trike of Destruction (which he'd convinced the warden to release to him on the condition that he would disable it from ever being usable again) and some grainy, blown up security photos of his first jailbreak when a fishy voice called his name. "Sir!"

"There he is!" the mayor boomed happily at the same time, his round face glowing as he sailed over to the pair, Donovan and dignitaries in tow. Minion followed just behind, head above the rest, grinning widely.

"Ohhh," Megamind groaned.

Roxanne had been shaking her head over his first baby pictures - mug shots. Barely a toddler, his innocent green eyes contained not the slightest uncertainty as he smiled, eagerly seeking the approval of whoever was taking the photograph. _He didn't know what he was doing. His so-called friends in there told him one thing, and the warden and guards that he was supposed to look up to told him another._ The big smile sprinkled with a few tiny baby teeth dimpled the sweetly chubby cheeks, making her want to squeeze them. _What must Warden Doyle have thought, trying to figure out how to handle this kid? So obviously alien… so obviously a baby. Innocent, but with such a frightening level of intelligence. And not knowing _why_ he was there or what to do with him. _

By the time he stood for another photograph, only a few tender years later in school, his smile had become much more fragile and uncertain, strained even. As usual when she thought of it, she felt the urge to put her arms around him, finding the very idea of his lonely childhood struggles haunting and heartbreaking. About to speak, she turned and was surprised to see the mayor and Minion along with other important personages standing just behind her with Megamind. And just then, Sully arrived at her side as well, a camera balanced on his shoulder and her microphone in hand.

"There you are," he gasped as though he'd been searching for her everywhere. "Dan's just about ready to blow his top. He's demanding some footage for tonight's broadcast."

"Oh. Of course." With everything that had happened, from their first night together to the unexpected appearance of Wayne, it had nearly slipped her mind that she also needed to do her job. _Wow, I seriously need to get my head in the game. _Quickly she made ready, checking her appearance and the microphone Sully handed her, asking if he'd been able to film much during the opening ceremony. Assuring her with a big grin and a thumbs up that he had, they proceeded to start their report on the opening of the new Metro City Museum of Heroes with a shot of the city's new defender taking the mayor and esteemed guests on a tour of the facility.

* * *

><p>It was some time before they were able to connect again. Minion eventually tracked her down. Having met her obligations, making segments here and there throughout the building and recording soundbytes of guests' reactions, she had finally pronounced it 'enough' and dismissed Sully to go enjoy himself. Still trying to make her way through all the new displays, she'd reached the top floor of the first wing, slowly working her way along the oversized photographs of Hal and his day of destruction.<p>

"Ms Ritchie!"

She turned to see Minion fobbing off a persistent fan as he lumbered her way as fast as he could. She understood. There'd been more than a few people stopping her as well. That was partly why it had taken her so long to get through just the first wing. In fact, the further she'd gotten into the building, the more people came up to her, offering congratulations and even thanks, asking for autographs. She accepted it all, slightly perplexed at the magnitude of the attention she was receiving. It wasn't her museum.

"Sir is down below on the second wing. They have him signing his life away and posing for pictures in the Hall of Heroes."

"I'm sure he's loving that."

"Eh… only for the first half hour or so. He told me to find you and bring you down there."

She grinned. "To share in the torture? I bet he did!"

Minion smiled back at her, "Well, mostly it's that he's a little frustrated about not being able to take you around the museum himself. You should have seen his face when Donovan told all those VIPs that Sir would be de_light_ed to show the mayor and his cronies through the building." Minion's impersonation of the event planner's exuberant manner of speaking and lifting his hands delicately in the air near his shoulders made Roxanne laugh.

Not wanting her to just stumble across his surprise by herself, Megamind's agitation had been building as time dragged on until he finally waved his henchman over to the table where he was held prisoner by a never-ending stream of autograph seeking fans. Commanded to go find and fetch her to his side as per the old days, Minion asked, "Are you free to come with me?" He glanced around for her cameraman. "If not, I'm under instructions to throw you over my shoulder and take you by force if necessary."

Roxanne smiled. "No need. We were done a while ago."

"Aw…" Minion pretended to be disappointed. "I've got the spray and everything!" He pulled out the can, giving it a playful rattling shake as though trying to tempt her into letting him use it. "Didn't bring the bag though…" he added thoughtfully.

"Minion!"

The fish chuckled. "Just kidding!" He grinned. "I know how much you _loved_ that bag," he teased, opening the door for her to the aerial walkway between the two wings.

"Oh my gosh, that thing reeked," she complained. "It was honestly probably the most evil thing you guys ever did to me, sticking that smelly bag on my head! Where'd you keep it anyway? In his boots?"

Minion only laughed again as they skirted around other guests and made their way around the enormous statue, feeling the warm sun and the breeze from so high up. Roxanne looked at the smooth concrete figure as they passed, thinking briefly of her recent rescue from atop its huge head but then mentioning, "He said he put you in the globe because you helped make him the hero is now." She looked at the sidekick as they walked along. "Did you know that?"

"Yeah. He told me." He didn't even need to look up at his likeness to feel a rush of pride and happiness at the reminder.

"Minion… if I touch your hand... would you be able to feel it?"

"Oh yes, Ms Ritchie. They are fully sensored." He flexed his fingers as if to show her.

"Good." She took his huge metal digits in her much smaller ones as they walked along. The fish looked down in wonder, then a surprised smile spread over his little face. "Thank you for being such a good friend to him… For being loyal for all these years," Roxanne said with quiet sincerity. "He couldn't have made it without you."

He gave her fingers a gentle squeeze, careful not to hurt her. There was nothing he could say. His heart was threatening to overflow his eyes again.

* * *

><p>Once they reached the Hall of Heroes, it was a very weary-looking Megamind that caught sight of them, did a double take, and then loudly excused himself from behind the table to the protests and groans of those still waiting in line. Donovan, standing nearby talking to Richard Doyle and David Morrow, saw him and intervened.<p>

"Now, now, everybody," the event planner chided in his gravelly voice, patting his hands in the air as though that gesture might soothe the masses. "It's about time we give our new blue hero a break. We don't want to wear him out on his _first_ day! He's not used to all this positive _en_ergy! But I'm _sure_ he'll be _happy_ to finish up later..." He glanced back over his shoulder, seeing Roxanne approaching. Truth be told, he wanted to watch what was about to happen.

"Oh, finally," Megamind gasped, shoulders drooping as he shuffled toward them. "It's about time you came to rescue me!"

Roxanne smirked. "The shoe's on the other foot for once."

"Huh?" He looked at his boots. "Oh. I get it." Putting a hand to his forehead, he sighed. "Minion, would you find us a glass of something? There were trays circling around here a moment ago."

"Sure thing, Boss."

Roxanne reached over to Megamind and straightened the furry collar of the white cape he still wore. In the background, strains of Queen's 'We Are The Champions' could be heard. "Holding up ok?"

"Well," he admitted, already feeling the tension beginning to subside. "I'm not used to all this. I mean! No complaints. It's certainly nice... I just had no idea how tiring it would be."

"You'll get used to it." Roxanne smiled. "I like what you've done with the place," she added, looking around.

Having her standing so near in her lovely blue dress soothed him but also conjured up a memory of their first date, when it had been purple and he hadn't been able to take his eyes off her, followed by racier thoughts of their most recent date and the night that followed. He would have liked to put his arms around her, but with so many people nearby he held back. "I'm glad. I did want to be the one to show you around."

"That's easy enough," she suggested. "I haven't seen half of it yet really. There's so many people here and they keep interrupting me too. We'll just sneak in after hours sometime, and you can give me a private tour sans the annoying crowd."

One black eyebrow arched at her. "My, my, Ms Ritchie! How I do enjoy seeing you embrace your dark side. All ready to join me in a little breaking and entering, eh?"

Roxanne's eyebrows answered in kind. "That's what happens when you keep bad company," she murmured just loud enough for him to hear, her eyes drifting down the starry cape and back up to meet his. "My mother warned me about men like you, but I never would listen. Guess she was right."

Her playful banter had always been able to make his heart race a little faster, and for a moment he forgot about anyone else being there. _Oh, I love this woman_. Eyes fixed on hers, one hand stole around to the small of her back, intending to pull her closer.

But Roxanne was still keenly aware of the crowd noise around them, of eyes watching. This was a very popular area of the building, probably because he was here. There were a lot of people milling about… just hanging around it seemed, waiting. And was it her imagination or… what _were_ those funny, knowing smiles they gave her as they walked by, glancing toward the two of them standing close together? It seemed she could almost hear judgment being passed. Instead of leaning toward him to be kissed, she stepped toward the row of statues that were featured in the cove where they stood, groups of visitors standing around each one. "You've changed things quite a bit in here."

It took him a moment to realize why she'd withdrawn. _Right… right. Eyes are on us._ He glanced around at the crowd, catching Richard Doyle smiling at him encouragingly, before hurrying to walk along at her side as she moved toward the new displays. His pulse skipped a beat, wondering when she would spot it. His gift. "I did. Once I had a good look at what or rather _who_ had actually been put here as examples of heroism… well, I practically had no choice but to change it! I mean, whose idea was it to include a Trojan soldier? Those barbarians were absolutely cruel to their own offspring. And what about scientists? Or great thinkers? Revolutionaries? Not a single one. I mean, it was really a one-sided list… obviously focused on men of great physical strength, but… come on, Einstein? And Lincoln? How could they be left out?"

He was babbling now, and he knew it, nervously unsure of how she might react to the most unexpected addition, as telling as it was… especially considering that she obviously was still feeling a little uncertain about the publicness of their relationship… _I hope she won't be upset with me._ He couldn't seem to stop talking.

And all the while Roxanne quietly walked along, examining each new exhibit as they pushed their way closer to them, people moving aside to let them through when they saw who was behind them.

Nodding as she listened to him, she realized the life-sized statues of brawny men that had previously been the sole occupants of the Hall of Heroes had been replaced with fascinating booths containing photos and biographies of each person whose placard hung overhead. Explaining what made them true heroes, each display expounded on what difficulties they'd overcome and challenges they'd faced. There was Lincoln and Einstein just as he'd said, one poor and with little formal education, the other considered by many to be learning disabled. Wayne was still there, his display still one of the largest. _That was generous of him_, she thought. Many of the exhibits were apparently as yet unfinished. "You're making these interactive?" she asked him, turning away from a bust after spotting small speakers on either side of it.

"Yes, but I haven't had time to put all the information in yet. Once I do, each display will be motion activated, giving the visitor a brief education on the history of the person they're standing in front of." He pointed out the sensors and tiny projection device that could show short film clips or 3D images.

"Wow. Nice. Are any of them done?"

He couldn't help smiling. She couldn't have played into his plan more perfectly if he'd orchestrated it himself. "Um… just one. Would you like to see it?"

Ushering her further along the row of famous personages, he could see a larger knot of people around the display they were aiming for. As they approached, the crowd began to part, people glancing back over their shoulders, then smiling and making way for them. Roxanne began to feel perplexed, hearing the noisy chatter slowly replaced by quieter murmuring, seeing again those knowing smiles on the faces she walked past as people stepped aside. _What's going on here?_

Distracted by the unexpected behavior of the crowd, she hadn't bothered to look at the name hanging above the exhibit until the last person standing in the way turned around. It was Donovan, blowing his nose and dabbing at his eyes. Just behind him, the shimmering hologram his presence had activated still slowly revolved and a recorded voice continued its narration.

"Oh! It's so _beau_tiful." He reached out to place a hand on Megamind's arm. "Well done, you!"

Finally she could see what the fuss was about. In gleaming gold script, the name of the hero - or rather heroine in this case - was spelled out above her head. ROXANNE RITCHIE. A slight frown creased her brow.

The well-lit black display curved in a graceful semi-circle, drawing the viewer in closer until they felt they were part of it. Filled with photographs set off by more of the lovely gold filigree work that had decorated her card and his gun, it was a presentation that told the story of her life and work; first in braving the elements and dangerous situations to bring the city the news it needed to know. It also detailed her career as a super-villain's favorite victim, displaying scenes where the expression on her face proved that she had neither been intimidated nor willing. Even more telling, proving she hadn't simply been willing to sit meekly and wait to be rescued, he had flaunted her courage and determination in previously unpublished, behind-the-scenes moments when she'd nearly managed to foil his plans herself. But the largest photos were of the final battle with Titan. The top of the tower, the chase through the streets, Roxanne brandishing a street sign, the last stand at the fountain.

"How did you...?"

"The brainbots. They record everything."

In the middle of the semi-circle a life-sized hologram of herself revolved on a low dais as a voice explained how she had risked her life in the middle of the evacuation of the city to call out the man who had once menaced and vowed to rule the population, forcing him to set aside his own self-doubt, risking it all to be a catalyst for change in the life of someone that no one else had believed in, effectively bringing about the rise of a new hero and the deliverance of an entire city. She recognized the narrator's voice and looked back at Megamind.

"Yes, that's me. I wanted to be the one to tell your story." His heart was in his throat as he watched her, wondering what she was thinking as she turned back to stare silently. And what she would think of the rest. _I should wait until we're alone… but I just can't. I want her to see it now. I want them to see it…_

She was opening her mouth to say something, but before she could speak, he put a hand to her back and gently pushed her forward until she had to step up onto the dais, causing the hologram to blink out. "Wha-?

"Shhh."

The crowd around them became silent as the narrator's voice abruptly cut out as well. After a pause, music began to play, just as he'd programmed it to do when her unique biological signature was detected on the little platform. A keyboard, a drum, a guitar repeating a series of notes… then a man singing. And Roxanne recognized the song from the radio, but the voice was Megamind's.

"I'm not a perfect person.

There's many things I wish I didn't do.

But I continue learning;

I never meant to do those things to you.

And so I have to say before I go

That I just want you to know,

I've found a reason for me

To change who I used to be.

A reason to start over new.

And the reason is you."

While it played, flat holographic images formed in the air around her. Scenes of her private interactions with Megamind, definitely things the public hadn't seen. There she was leaning forward against the ropes that restrained her in her chair, earnestly trying to reason with him before he began a new evil plan. Hoping to talk him out of a life of crime. What it showed that she hadn't seen before was the thoughtful, doubtful look on his face as he listened with his back to her.

More images appeared. A photo of her looking after him as he was taken away to prison yet again, the expression on her face full of compassion and sadness. And one of him looking longingly her way as she broadcast at the scene of yet another of his crimes. And the two of them standing at the back of the ambulance holding onto each other after Hal's defeat. All the photographs detailed the slow but sure connection they had made over the years, and the way she had affected his life without even knowing just how much effect she had been having. They proved how she had opened her mind and eventually her heart to see him the way no one else had been willing to until he was able to see himself that way too.

Donovan caught sight of Minion returning with a tray of champagne and motioned to him to wait. Behind him followed Dr. Morrow and Warden Doyle, coming to see how Roxanne was going to react to this public declaration of devotion.

Tense at first with so many of their private moments on display for everyone to see, Roxanne eventually got over her fear of being emotionally exposed, her eyes pricking with tears as she relived their tumultuous relationship through the evidence of just how far they had come. As the song drew to a close, the lyrics having done their job to send a clear message of exactly why he'd chosen to put her in the Hall of Heroes, she finally no longer cared who was watching or what they thought. Turning around, she saw him still standing behind her, gazing up at her hopefully as he waited.

"That was you singing."

"Yes."

A wobbly smile broke through her teariness as he reached out to take her hand. "Megs… I don't belong-"

"Yes, you do," he interrupted, relieved now that he knew that she wasn't angry. With her personal message concluded, he helped her off the step, saying loudly enough for everyone to hear, "I would not be here, today, without you. You are _my_ hero."

She stepped down and into his arms, hugging him tight.

"You are my hero, Roxanne. You believed in me. You changed my life," he spoke quietly into her ear and added in a whisper, "And I love you."

Roxanne pulled back to look in his eyes. "I love you." The people closest to them seemed to let out a collective sigh, smiling at her declaration. Roxanne looked around at them and said louder, "I love him."

Awes and chuckles greeted the pronouncement, and when she caught Megamind's eye again, she saw him gazing at her, lips parted as though he was stunned by her willingness to announce it aloud. "I want everybody to know it." Gently she pressed her lips to his, feeling him hesitate for a moment in disbelief before closing his eyes and kissing her back, squeezing her tightly. The crowd began to applaud their star-crossed lovers.

Donovan, still sniffing back tears, frantically waved Minion over with his tray of champagne, followed closely by the proud prison warden and a smugly complacent physician. "I'd like to propose a toast!"

Minion offered glasses to his friends as they parted. With a shining smile and a word of thanks, Roxanne took one, but the blue alien only had eyes for the lady in his arms. "No need, Minion. Nothing could be more intoxicating than what I'm holding right now."

"To Megamind… and Roxanne…" the event planner proposed, raising his glass. "To heroes."

With a rousing cheer the crowd chimed in, whether they held a drink or not. "To us?" Roxanne smiled at him.

"To us," he agreed.

* * *

><p><em>Addendums to follow... including the fun they have with that nasty Tom Raines. Dear readers, thank you again. This feels like such an anticlimax, but all stories must end. Love to you all.<em>


	41. Sweet Revahnge

_Hey, kids, I'm still alive and kickin'. Mostly. Here's the 'Tom gets what's coming to him' chapter, bwahahaha. The steamy chapter should be ready for uploading before too awful long as well. It's turning out longer than I expected. No, that's not a pun... What's that? It's already *been* awful long? Yeah... sorry about that. I know I've been MIA, but I have very good reasons! You see... oh... nevermind. You don't need to hear all that. Hope you enjoy this for now. I'm missing the fandom. Love to you all. _

* * *

><p>"Tom… Tom… wake up…"<p>

Tom's eyes slowly opened and blinked. The face hovering above his startled him, his eyes flying wide as he recoiled from the unexpected sight. She was so close he could feel the breath accompanying her hushed voice.

"Tom! I need your help."

"Roxanne? …What… the hell are you doing here?" He tried to sit up, but her hands were on his shoulders, pinning him to the bed, her face still close enough he couldn't raise his head without ramming it into her nose. Grogginess weighed down his limbs and prevented him from rousing the strength to push her aside, but it didn't stop him from noticing the black shade of her lips, due to more than the darkness of the room, and her heavily outlined eyes. Her hair was swept back, standing on end. And the tall collar she wore looked very familiar. "_What_ are you wearing?"

"I need your help, Tom," she whimpered, finally straightening, pushing away from him with unnecessary force and pacing away a few steps before turning back to plead, "Megamind's lost his mind. Totally over the edge! He's… he's scaring me!"

"You got yourself into this…"

"No! I'm telling you I need your help! You were right. Everything's been part of a plan to do horrible, evil things to the city, and he's about to put the plan into action. Tonight! I don't want to be part of this anymore!" Hearing Tom groan, she wrung her hands and added, "You have to get up and help me." With a nervous glance over her shoulder toward the door, she explained, "I know what he's going to do, and we might be able to stop him if we go right now… but he always has brainbots following me..."

"I'm not getting involved." Even though his curiosity was piqued and he felt a mean sense of satisfaction that she was finding out how wrong she'd been about the blue creep, he rolled over in bed, turning his back on her.

"You already are! If they find out I came here, they're going to come after you! Even after I leave. Come on! Hurry up! Get up!"

"Oh, thanks a lot," he griped as he began to flounder around, trying ungracefully to free himself from the sheets. The thought of Megamind's nasty, snapping cyborgs busting into his room gave him an unpleasant adrenaline rush. "Don't have a choice now, do I? What a way to spend my Friday night."

Roxanne refrained from pointing out the fact that he had already been asleep in bed. "I'm sorry, but you're the only one I could think of to turn to. You're the only one who hasn't bought into his story."

"Yeah, well, _you_ sure did," the grumpy reporter groused, glancing over at her while he pulled his pants on. A long cape fell from her shoulders in heavy silken folds to nearly sweep the floor at the back of her stiletto-heeled boots. His eyes followed the vinyl, gleaming even in the barely lit room, up her shapely legs, past buckles and studs to the smooth pale skin of her thighs. Then a pair of skintight boy shorts and a wide studded leather belt rode low on her hips and above that more skin with a brief leather halter top showing a shocking amount of cleavage for a woman who was usually rather conservatively dressed. Without completely meeting in the middle, it was fastened across her bosom with shiny silver buckles. Roxanne's generous figure seemed about to burst the seams of the outfit that was crowned over all by a shorter version of the popped collar her alien partner sported.

Tom huffed, clearly unable to stop gawking. "What are you supposed to be? His dominatrix or his bitch?"

Roxanne's black lips pursed briefly before she answered. "He dressed me like this. So I could be his e-vil queen."

"Isn't that what you were planning anyway?"

"No! I thought he was really changing his life. I thought I was helping him."

Tom shook his head. "You need to wise up, Roxanne." As he bent to tie his shoes, he missed the crafty look that crossed Roxanne's face and cleared just as quickly as it had appeared. He stood up finally. "Ok, let's go." Pausing to look her up and down more openly, he asked, "You like dressing up like that?"

The answering expression on the reporter's face could have been a sneer or just the wrinkling of her nose. "Well, it's _his_ style. I thought I'd get further with him if I just played along."

Tom began to think that if her new relationship wasn't working out, he might take the chance of seeing if she would dress that way for his amusement sometime. Owen hadn't published those photos yet. Maybe he could use them as leverage. "So… what am I supposed to do to save the day?"

"I'll explain on the way," she answered as they left.

* * *

><p>In the car, Tom's steady stream of complaining about the lack of information she had to offer in answer to his questions about the secret evil plan grated on Roxanne's nerves. She would have liked to pull over and dump him in the street, but she needed him.<p>

Seeing her handling the black, chrome-trimmed Hudson with easy familiarity had surprised him. "He lets you use his car, huh?"

"Oh yeah," she'd answered, eyes on the road.

Studying her as she drove, he had found the naughty outfit she wore more and more tantalizing. The way her breasts rose and fell with her breathing, threatening to spill over the tight top drew his eyes like a magnet. He reached over to place a hand lightly on the exposed stretch of leg above the long boot closest to him. "I know we've been at odds lately, Roxanne, but I am glad you came to me."

Roxanne's eyes widened slightly before she glanced sideways at her passenger. "I wasn't sure you'd help. Considering the way you've been treating me lately."

"Oh, come on now… If you think about it, you'll see I was trying to help you. Giving you a wake up call. I couldn't stand seeing you paired up with an ex-con. And one that apparently _I_ alone could see was so obviously still conning everybody. And an alien! I mean, _blue_? It's just weird. I knew you'd get yourself in trouble."

"Get _myself_ in trouble? I didn't get myself to the top of that statue. And then I almost died."

"Now, see," Tom chided, patting her leg. "You misunderstood that whole thing. When you were on that statue with Tighten, I was about to call for help and then come rescue you myself when _he_ showed up. I had my hand on my phone. He just beat me to the punch and took the credit. I was there first."

"Taking photographs."

Tom finally withdrew his hand from her leg, leaving behind a searing impression that rapidly cooled. "Documentation. I wanted to show you those later so you could see for yourself what you'd been doing. You know, an outside perspective. Like an intervention." He clicked his tongue. "You just haven't been thinking straight ever since you got involved with Megamind, and you needed to see things my way. Objectively." Pausing, he insisted with quiet sincerity. "It was for your own good."

Still not having made much eye contact with him, Roxanne nodded slowly. "I see."

Tom reached out toward her bare arm. "You know… I still care about you." His fingers ran lightly down. "I've grown a lot as a person since you dumped me. And I know now I should've never let you go. That's why I put myself in danger to follow you that day. I really put myself on the line going there to help you."

"So kind of you, Tom," Roxanne murmured.

Tom looked at her stony face staring ahead at the road. _Not getting through to her yet. I'll have to work on it._ "So, when we get there, then what? You still haven't really told me what he's up to."

"Oh, when we get inside, you'll know exactly what he's doing."

They were nearing the lake, turning onto a street that ran down to an area of abandoned warehouses and the city's long defunct power plant. The car stopped in front of a massive, unlit building. Peering up at it through the windscreen, Tom was about to ask a question. "Is this hi-" But Roxanne has already briskly exited the car. He scrambled to open his door and follow her.

Passing without hesitation straight through a wall, Roxanne never paused to look back at her nervous guest, expecting him to keep up. Tom approached the wall and stopped, looking this way and that, then closed his eyes and plunged through as he'd seen her do.

"Wait!" he hissed as he found himself in a long dim hallway. Roxanne paused to look back. "We're just going to walk in? Isn't this his base? What if he sees me here?"

"Oh! No, this is just the staging area for the big plan!" She motioned in the air with her hands, then flapped one dismissively. "Don't worry," she assured him, the cape swishing behind her as she turned to continue walking. "He's not even here. He's… setting things up."

It was odd how her manner had shifted, more focused and confident as they neared Megamind's territory instead of worriedly wringing her hands and insisting she needed his help the way she had in his apartment. He remembered her concern that the brainbots might track her down and looked around hastily. "What about those flying… brain things?"

"Stick with me, and I don't think they'll bother you." She was striding on ahead of him boldly, not even bothering to try to keep to the deeper shadows as he was. _Doesn't even know how to sneak into a place. Well, she's supposed to be here though. I'm not!_ Distracted by various evil-looking pieces of equipment and machinery he saw here and there, piles of dynamite, frighteningly complex contraptions, he was wishing he had a camera and lost sight of her as she rounded a corner. "Come on, Tom. Keep up. It's just up here." He scurried to catch up.

WHACK

As he rounded the corner, a heavy blow fell across the back of his neck. He crumpled to knees, dazed, the edges of his vision turning dark grey. "What the hell-"

"No, no. You need to hit him harder. Aim for the back of the head."

WHACK

Face down on the floor now, the tabloid reporter felt almost as much confusion as pain. Why was Roxanne talking to herself? His head spun in a most alarming manner. The floor seemed to be trying to buck him off, and the dark frame around his field of vision seeped forward, now accompanied by tiny pinpoints of flashing light.

"How was that?"

Just before the darkness closed in on him completely, he heard her again, the disembodied voice seeming to come from far away. "Perfect! Nice job." The blackness claimed him.

* * *

><p>Tom felt irritated as he gradually regained consciousness. What was that... it didn't belong… someone was in his room, making strange, irritating noises. He felt he ought to recognize the sound but... couldn't quite place it. Quiet, familiar… intimate... Suddenly he knew he wasn't at home in bed. The sounds, the smells... this wasn't his apartment. He was confused for a moment, but he knew he needed to figure out where he was. He could hardly lift his eyelids, and they only parted enough to show he was in almost complete darkness before he closed them again with a grimace. <em>Don't even care. Augh, my head!<em> A steady beat pounded in his skull as though his brain was trying to jackhammer free of its boney covering accompanied at intervals by that low, infrequent clicking, rustling… breathing?… _What is that?_

He was warm at least, covered by something up to his neck. Attempting to lift his hand to rub his face, he found his arms and legs secured. The exploratory movements increased the intensity of the pain shooting through his head, so he stopped. He had no willpower to struggle yet anyway and so lay still, trying to puzzle out his situation, eyes still shut. He'd been asleep in bed… no… recalling the events of the evening, he finally remembered where he was and felt the first hint of fear.

The odd sound was so familiar… with an occasional creak and sigh… It annoyed him somehow that he knew what it was… but he couldn't identify it until he heard a barely audible hum followed by the unmistakable sound of whispering.

"… no chance of that…"

"… could have… you…"

"...mmm…"

_Oh lord. That's… They're making out! _Opening his eyes mere slits to peek out of, the lashes so low they blurred what little he could see, he caught sight of Roxanne and Megamind entwined near a bank of equipment punctuated with small blinking lights and buttons and levers. Looking into his eyes, her arms rested on his shoulders, cradling his oversized blue head while his hands encircled her waist, holding their bodies closely together. Tom saw the leather clad fingers begin to trail along the bare skin exposed at Roxanne's midriff, making her arch against him with a smile. As they began to kiss, his hands slid down to squeeze her ample rear. Tom expected to feel revolted by the sight of his ex-girlfriend sucking face with the evil blue freak, but… for some reason… he couldn't stop looking at the way they traded kisses and smoothly pressed themselves together, backed against the console. Roxanne sighed as Megamind bent his head to nuzzle down her neck to the full breasts pillowing over the top of her leather bustier.

_She must be trying to make him think she's still on board with it. He was probably watching us come in the whole time. Really stupid, Roxanne. I knew you should have been more careful._

Watching the pair surrepitously, Tom told himself he buying time to think of a means of escape but the distraction they provided disrupted any actual planning. His jaw went slack as he continued to spy on the mildly pornographic display through lowered eyelids, keeping up his pretense of being unconscious. _Man, she's really… doing a good job of faking._

As one pale pink fingernail began to stroke up and down the side of a fuschia-tinged blue ear, Tom barely heard, "Now, now… you know what that does to me... and I really do need to retain... mmm… some of my composure to…." The blue man made no attempt to stop the caresses though, and Tom saw Roxanne grin as she was pulled her even more tightly to him while he ravaged her neck with a growl, his voice muffled against her skin. "Oooh, sweetheart… I should have put you in leather long ago."

"Let's get this over with so we can go play," Roxanne whispered.

A throaty chuckle answered her as the pair locked eyes and their faces drew closer together until they shared another playful kiss. "There _was_ something from last night I wanted to try again," Megamind mentioned.

Roxanne's smile shone in the dark, accented by her blackened lips as she teased, "I bet I know what it was…"

"Oh really?"

A heavy heat spread down Tom's legs watching the giggling television reporter squirm, a stifled laugh escaping her as her lover whispered his desires in her ear. Tension caught in his throat, making him swallow dryly. The black glove at her side slid upward, its thumb beginning to trace around the curving shape it cupped as Roxanne's throaty chuckle over the suggestions he was making turned to a moan. "Oooh, yes... I would like to try that again..." Tom nearly forgot about keeping up his pretense of being unconscious just as her gaze fell on him.

"Megs…"

"Hmm?"

"I think our guest is waking up."

The big blue head whipped around quicker than a snake's, the green eyes piercing him with unexpected intensity. Tom jumped.

"So he is…" Turning back to the woman in his arms, he murmured something to her and she nodded in response before they parted. Roxanne adjusted her outfit slightly as Megamind turned to the unethical journalist on the table. "Welcome, Tom. Or… not, as the case may be."

"Just what the hell do you think you're doing? Why am I here? You can't treat people any way you want just because you think you're-"

"Oh, spare me." Megamind rolled his eyes so hard his head followed suit. "You aren't here because of me. You're here as a gift to my e-vil queen." He gestured graciously back toward Roxanne, the corner of his mouth lifting as he took in the sight of her again. "Don't you love the ensemble? Smoking hot… I picked it out myself."

_So she was right._ "She told me that. And I think she looks like a freak. Just like you."

"Oh dear. Then I don't suppose you're going to be entirely happy with the outfit we chose for _you_." Megamind whipped off the sheet that covered him. "Ta da!"

Tom felt an alarming breeze in places he shouldn't have been able to feel a breeze and looked down at himself. "Wha-? Where are my clothes?" At some point while he had been unconscious, his clothing had been replaced, and he now found himself dressed in a style similar to the lead character of a certain cult-status movie, his hairy chest enclosed in a black corset and legs encased in garters and fishnet stockings down to a pair of uncomfortable pumps shoved on his size 12 feet.

"We dressed you for a special mission," Megamind began, then noticed the significant bulge in the man's tight shorts. A look of extreme distaste twisted his blue lips. "Is that…? Tom! Tsk, tsk! For shame! Maybe you actually like your new outfit a little too much."

"Oh, I don't think that's it, sweetheart," Roxanne chimed in, moving closer to look over his shoulder at their captive. "I think he's been awake for a while," she accused him. "And was _watching_ us."

"Oh, shut up!" Tom snapped miserably, his arms bound at his sides leaving him helpless to do anything about his embarrassing state of exposure.

"Well, well," Megamind muttered, still obviously disturbed. "I certainly didn't intend to provide entertainment for your base, voyeuristic tendencies, but at least I have the satisfaction of assuring you that you have absolutely zero chance of ever enjoying that kind of interaction with this beautiful woman again." Megamind leaned closer. "Ever." He shook his head and looked back at Roxanne who smiled at him. "I don't know what you were thinking, Tom, to give her up." He leaned closer to stage whisper, "She's _amazing_."

Tom knew only too well. But it had been the young intern's insistence that their casual encounters should be something more meaningful that had caused him to push her away. He had no use for emotional baggage complicating his life. "Oh yeah? Well, tonight she came to _me_ for help to get away from you. How do you think I got here? She's only pretending to-" He stopped as Megamind made some small gesture near his wrist, and a strange thing happened. The blue head and black outfit blurred and glowed, looking as though he might melt away until suddenly his image cleared again, and he looked identical to the woman standing behind him. Now Tom was staring in bewilderment at two Roxannes.

The one who had been Megamind clasped her hands together. "Oh, Tom. I need your help. Megamind's lost his mind." He even sounded like her.

Tom stared, making the doppelganger laugh. "Did you really think I'd send my precious angel out to pick you up? Dressed like this? Oh, I knew you wouldn't be able to resist her. You came along very willingly, just as I planned. But I would never place my treasure close enough to you for you to lay a hand on. Or ask her to lower herself to be your bait… _Tom_, you twisted pig. No. So that was me. And too easy, I must say. You didn't even notice that her beautiful blue eyes had turned green, did you? Not even when you had your hand on my leg."

It was only then that Tom recognized the difference in the two women.

"He put his hand on your leg?" The real Roxanne gaped, more amused than shocked. "Tom! How dare you hit on my boyfriend!"

The mortified reporter shuddered at the thought of caressing that blue alien thigh as he watched Megamind change back into his true form. "I – I didn't know it was _him_! I thought it was you!"

Megamind backhanded him across the face. "How dare you hit on my girlfriend."

"Ahh! This is insane!" Tom protested, almost too alarmed to feel his cheek stinging.

"Oh, you don't know the half of it," the former villain assured him in a low, hoarse tone. Another twist of his wrist device, and Tom's blood ran cold as he began to fear his situation was much more dire than he'd originally suspected.

Megamind, now in the form of Tom's friend and colleague Owen, held up a digital camera card pinched between two fingers. "Recognize this?" He watched the reporter's mouth open and close like a fish. "I see you do. Thanks for giving it back to me." Understanding dawned on Tom's face, realizing how he'd been duped. "Yes. That was a particularly bad choice. And right after my visit to your office. You're in deep shit now."

Calling for a brainbot, he kept his eyes on the unnerved man before him as he held the card up a little higher. Tom's eyes grew wide and he flinched as a fine purple laser shot from the bot's eyestalk, disintegrating the card completely.

"I'm sure you hated to lose that valuable portion of your work portfolio," Megamind pretended to commiserate with him as he rubbed his fingertips together to dust away the carbonized residue before returning to his own form again. He held out a black-gloved hand and yet another bot flew to him, handing him a stack of 8x10 photographs. Megamind finally took his eyes off of Tom as he began to peruse the pictures of Roxanne and Hal at the top of the museum's new statue. "I have some copies here though. You can keep any of them you want. Otherwise I'll just have the bots… dispose of these as well… Oh, look. This is a particularly good one." Turning the photo around, he allowed Tom one last look at Roxanne being forced back toward the edge of the statue by the crazed anti-hero, her face panicked as the wind flapped at the sides of the blouse he'd torn open.

Tom was about to protest when a flick of the alien's nimble wrist aimed the snapshot toward his head. The brainbots waiting at his shoulders both fired, vaporizing the glossy paper in midair near his left ear.

"AHH!" Tom cried, cringing. A tiny cloud of smoke lingered near his shoulder.

"Guess you didn't want that one," Megamind muttered, continuing to look through the stack.

"They could have hit me! Burned me! Th-"

Far from being concerned, Megamind began rapidly flicking the photos toward the tabloid reporter's face, one by one. Tom began to shriek and protest as the hovering cyborgs vied to see which of them could hit more of the targets first. A smell of burning filled the air around him, the lasers passing so close that he squeezed his eyes shut tightly and begged for them to stop, his face screwed up in fear. After what seemed an eternity in which he was sure he was about to be maimed at any second, he realized the firing had stopped and opened his eyes to see Megamind standing empty-handed, watching him. "I guess you didn't want any of them." Behind him Roxanne still stood calmly, her face a mask and her arms folded.

"You could have killed me!" Tom gasped, his chest heaving. "Roxanne, tell him to stop! He really is insane!"

"There's a fine line between insanity and genius, Tom. I find it amuses me to cross it now and then." The blue lips curled in a thin, crafty smile. "We may just cross it several times tonight. I feel like laughing." To make his point, he treated Tom to one of his best evil chuckles and then turned serious as quickly as snapping his fingers. "No one treats my angel the way you did and gets away with it. No one." Megamind straightened and called back over his shoulder, eyes still fixed on the stunned tabloid jockey. "Minion!"

The genial fish lumbered into the room accompanied by two more glowing brainbots. "Ready, Sir!"

"Time to put our plan into action."

With a nod, the fish turned a knob built into the chest of his mecha suit. Tom yelped as an array of beams fanned out from a small aperture, scanning him where he lay. Then with a second twist the little henchman grinned and took on a new form.

"But that's… that's me," Tom gasped in dismay. "What are you going to do with me? Looking like that!"

"I told you we dressed you for a special mission," Megamind explained. "We're taking you out for a night on the town! First, it'll be a little trip in an open top convertible through the downtown nightlife of Metrocity, waving to all and sundry, showing off your revamped look. Would blowing kisses and singing at the top of his lungs be too over the top?" he asked Roxanne who shook her head with a smile. "Then you'll be off to exact some petty revenge on the city's new defender whom everyone realizes you despise. A little vandalism at the new museum sound like fun? My bots will record it all. One's going to broadcast it here so you can watch yourself," he assured him as a large screen descended from overhead, placed just right for Tom's viewing ease. "And the other is going to take pretty pictures of it all. Those I plan to keep safe with me. As insurance." He put an arm around Roxanne's waist. "And should you ever feel the need to harass my beautiful Roxanne again," he warned. "The evidence of your special night on the town will be promptly sent to every newspaper in the city as well as the chief of police."

Tom gaped before finally protesting in a weak, husky tone. "That's blackmail." He stared, knowing he was helpless to stop the humiliation. "Impersonation. And entrapment and… and…"

"Revahnge," Megamind added. "Plain and simple. Cold. Heartless. Just like you." He turned to Roxanne and Minion. "Let's get this show on the road. Literally!"

Seeing them all beginning to leave, Tom called, "Hey! But! You can't just leave me here!"

"Oh, I nearly forgot." Megamind moved back to the console of buttons and gadgetry and pulled a lever. "I _couldn't_ leave a guest all alone, could I? Why, that would be terribly rude. So while you watch yourself on the mega-screen there," he said, gesturing to the oversized screen currently displayed the blue M and bolts logo. "And enjoy the broadcast of _aaall_ the mayhem..."

With the flip of a switch, the table Tom lay bound on began to tip upright until he could see a portion of the floor sliding away, leaving him stranded on a small circular platform. The metal cuffs than had held his arms to the table released with a clank. He had started to slide down the flat surface, the nervous sweat on his back rubbing and catching along the steel surface, when a reptilian form leaped into the air from the pit below, snapping its jaws near his black patent pumps. The reporter scrabbled frantically at the slick table as another alligator followed suit.

"My pets will keep you company." Putting a finger to his lips, Megamind turned thoughtful. "Dear me, I've been so busy today I completely forgot to feed them. So… you may want to refrain from making any sudden movements so as not to give them the wrong idea." Two brainbots approached Tom's small refuge, one carrying a wrench. "Oh look! The bots want to play too."

"Go away!" Tom hissed at them, eyeing the red-stained, bear trap mouths over his shoulder as he huddled against the table. The loud clamping of one set of serrated teeth answered him, and both cyborgs hovered closer.

"Better throw that wrench," Roxanne couldn't resist suggesting.

Megamind smiled maliciously, biting his lip. "Yes, I've found out the hard way they can be inordinately impatient, the little imps. Luckily the prosthetic fits great and is hardly noticeable." He flexed the fingers of one hand in the air.

"Prosth-" Tom swallowed hard. Megamind didn't have a prosthetic limb… did he? With a shaking hand Tom reached out and took the end of the tool gingerly. At first the bot pulled back, playing a little tug of war with the reluctant reporter. Just as Tom was about to give up, it released it and bobbed excitedly, waiting for the game to begin. As he gave the metal bar a half-hearted lob, the quick movement of his arm drew the attention of the well-trained reptiles below, who leapt up again, snapping and throwing themselves against the edge of the pit before sliding back down. With a cry of alarm, Tom shrank back against the vertical table. He winced as he felt an ankle turn on the unfamiliar footwear.

"Oh-hoho… Look at them playing!" Megamind commented fondly as his henchman beamed and Roxanne giggled to herself. "Well, have fun! I know we will..." They left hearing the excited bowgs of the bots and the snapping of the alligators accompanying Tom's whimpers of despair.

* * *

><p>A few hours later, Roxanne sauntered leisurely back into the Lair, not quite sure what she would find but certain it would be very satisfying.<p>

Tom sat huddled on his paltry refuge, his arms wrapped tightly around his knees, his eyes glazed and dull. A bot was returning the wrench to him which he listlessly tossed away before immediately grimacing and squeezing his legs more closely to himself as the alligators leapt up yet again. It was Roxanne's chuckle that made Tom notice her arrival.

"Hello, Tom. How are you holding up?"

He glowered. "I'm cold. And cramped. These stupid clothes are damned uncomfortable..." The second cyborg flew over and dropped the wrench near him again. "And don't these idiotic things ever get tired of this? My god, my arm _aches_!" He glanced around, knowing Megamind was most likely somewhere nearby.

Roxanne smiled. "Well, I'm here to rescue you."

"Yeah, right. I get it now. You weren't looking for my help at all. In fact, you're probably _him_." He glowered darkly and refused to look at her, wondering what color her eyes were. The impatient bot waiting bowged and darted at him, making him grab quickly for the tool and throw it as far as he could muster in frustration. A twinge of pain made him wince. "But I don't even care. I can't do this anymore," he whined. "Get me out of here."

Roxanne pulled her own de-gun from her thigh holster. "That's what I'm going to do. And once you leave, you will never come back. Will you."

"No."

"And you will never reveal this location to anyone. Will you."

They weren't questions. "No."

"And you will never publish anything against Megs or Minion or myself again."

"No! In fact, I'm getting out of this town! I can't wait to get away from all of you and this whole stinking place! I'm moving as soon as-"

In one fluid motion, Roxanne aimed and dehydrated the detestable man. "Believe me… the feeling's mutual."

Megamind appeared from the shadows and crossed to where she stood, planting a kiss on her cheek as he gave her a quick squeeze. He helped her pull the necessary levers and switches and walked over to retrieve the blue cube from the floor, tossing it lightly in his hand. It was so tempting to keep it, maybe high on a shelf where it could collect dust forever or to use it for tests of one kind or another. Placing it in a vice to see how much pressure it could withstand sounded tempting. He smiled to himself thinking he could shove it in one of the raw, whole chickens he fed the alligators and wait for it to reappear. "Shall I drop him in the middle of the lake?"

His lovely new partner smirked at him. "No. But I know his ex's address. We'll just mail him there."

The blue hero grinned back. "Oooh, I love it when you're evil."


End file.
